Fireplace
by pretty in orange
Summary: A collection of RukaXKain oneshots.
1. Safety

Author Note: I was going to do this for my ShikiXRima one-shot collection, but it seemed more fitting for Kain and Ruka. Also, it's late and I'm extremely stupid, so alert me to any typos please and thank you. This is Ruka's point of view.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

Thunder clapped outside and I clutched at my blankets. I hated storms, and I had since I was a kid.

I tiptoed my way out of my room, and then snuck into Kain's. He was fast asleep, sprawled on his back, domineering most of the bed.

Lightning lit up the room and I flinched. I pulled down the covers from Kain and crawled into bed beside him. A real lady wouldn't do this. But I had never been a real lady, and I doubted I ever would be.

"Mm? Ruka?" Kain's eyes opened, just barely, and he studied me.

Thunder boomed and I couldn't help the yelp that escaped my throat. Understanding crossed Kain's face and he pulled me close.

"I won't let the storm get you." He didn't say anything about how it was stupid to think the storm could get me. He didn't chastise me about my stupid worrying. He just pulled me in and held me close.

When I woke up the next evening, I was on my back with Kain half overtop of me. I managed to squirm out from under him, and then debated if I should make a run for the door while he was still asleep.

"Are we just going to pretend like this never happened?" Kain sighed, only half awake, while I debated, and ran his hand through his hair. "Is that what you want?"

"Kain..." I began, but then hail started to hit the window. I nearly jumped out of my skin and grabbed Kain by his open pajama shirt and clutched at him in terror.

"Shh, you're alright." Kain stroked my hair and put his other arm around me. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"Promise?" The hail continued to pound at the window, almost drowning out my words. "You swear?"

"I swear. I promise." Kain held me closer. "I won't let the storm get you. I'm right here, always."

Why wouldn't Lord Kaname do this for me? Why was I here, in Akatsuki's bed, clutching at him?

Moreover, why was he letting me lay in his bed, clutching at him?

As the hail tapered off, I closed my eyes and lay still. I was pressed up tight against Akatsuki; his hand was in my hair and the other on the middle of my back.

"Are you alright now?" He asked, and when I opened my eyes, he was staring into them with his worried orange orbs.

"I'm ok, Akatsuki." I watched his eyes go wide and quickly realized my fault. "S-sorry." Ladies do not stutter! I had to get out of there. Quickly.

"Is there something you want to say?" Akatsuki untangled himself from me, giving me a chance to run, but I couldn't move.

"Why... are you letting me be with you, in your bed... and you're holding me... and stroking my hair... why?" I wanted to run, but A) it was too late and B) I still couldn't move.

"Because I love you." There. He said it, the L word. I knew the truth. So why was I still panicking?

"I..." I tried to push myself up and away from him with trembling hands, but I fell twice. "I don't know, Akatsuki..."

"You don't know what?" Akatsuki pulled me down after I fell for a third time. "Just stay still for a minute, you're going to hurt yourself."

"I don't know if I can love you..." We were lying face to face, and looking into his eyes I was afraid I might cry, but I was scared to close my eyes.

"I just want you to be happy, Ruka." Kain ran his hand through his hair. "Whether you love me or not is not the issue. It's just... seeing you lust after Kaname makes me mad when he treats you with nonexistent respect. You need someone who loves you, not just wants to use you for your blood."

"I don't know..." I bit my lip. "Lord Kaname is just... I don't know he's..."

"A pureblood." Akatsuki finished for me. "And your family wants you to go for it, try to be with him. But he doesn't see you that way."

"I know." Thunder clapped outside again, and I panicked. I hugged myself tightly, laying beside Akatsuki Kain, but not touching.

"You're scared." He sighed. "Come here." I let him draw me in, pull me close to his chest.

"But... classes..." I tried to protest.

"Classes aren't for an hour. Just try to relax." He held me close and tightly.

It was then I finally recognized the feeling I had whenever Kain held me.

Safety.

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Author Note: I'm not exactly sure why I think Ruka would be afraid of storms but it just seemed reasonable. This would've been up sooner, but I got distracted on youtube. I love your reviews and PMs; they're what keep me writing! Lastly, thank you so much for reading my story, it means a lot to me.


	2. There For Me

Author Note: I have so many projects right now... it's a little insane in my head. Worse than usual anyway. I don't remember how I came up with this one.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vampire Knight or make profit from this.

* * *

"What's this?" Akatsuki grabbed my hand and stared down at it.

"It's a cut." I tried to tug my hand out of his grip, but to no avail. "It's not a big deal. Really."

"It's infected. Ruka, c'mon. " He pulled me into the nearest bathroom and started to search the cupboards for something. His grip on my hand was firm, and even hurt a little, though only because of the cut.

"Kain!" I hated calling him that, but it got his attention. "I'm fine, give it a day and it will be gone." That was a blatant lie; I just didn't want peroxide poured on my hand. I shifted, trying to get away from him.

"You don't understand." He finally found the bottle of peroxide and pulled it out of the cupboard, uncapping it. "It's infected. Even your body can't heal it without it being cleaned out. How did you get hurt anyway?" He was trying to distract me, that was all, I was sure of it. He moved my hand over the sink and I braced myself.

"Aidou tripped me because I called him an idiot blonde." I said and a murderous look flashed through Kain's eyes, though it wasn't directed at me. I flinched as the peroxide tumbled into the cut, and I squeezed my eyes shut tight.

"Ruka? Ruka!" I opened my eyes at Akatsuki's voice, but my vision tunneled, and then went black. Akatsuki's voice faded away, last of all, though I clung to it for dear life.

When I woke up, I was in Akatsuki's room. My hand had been carefully bandaged, and I was tucked in.

"Akatsuki?" I whispered, and then realized he was asleep next to me. "Thank you, Akatsuki." I whispered and lay my head lightly on his chest. "Thank you for taking care of me." I played with the edge of his pajama shirt, which was open as always.

"I always will." He was only half awake now, but his words were sincere. "No matter what happens, I'll make sure you're alright."

I really should've gone to my room after that. Instead, I just snuggled up to Kain and let myself fall asleep.

Because I knew that Akatsuki wouldn't lie to me... he would always be there for me.

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Author Note: Short one, sorry, I have to leave in a bit and I have some other work to do, but I will get some more stuff done before I have to leave. As usual, I appreciate all reviews and PMs about my stories! Lastly, thank you so much for reading my stories!


	3. Alcohol Was Involved

Author Note: I heard this song on the radio about body shots and instantly had the idea for this. Don't throw things at me please. Kain's point of view, I'm feeling like writing from boys' points of view tonight.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight and I don't make any profit from this.

* * *

I'm not exactly sure how Ruka ended up at a bar instead of at class, but when she drunk dialed me, I knew I had to go get her.

I didn't ask the Headmaster for permission, I had to get there and didn't have the time. I traced the call through my cell and found Ruka at a bar called Taichou's.

"Kain!" Ruka slurred. At least five guys were gathered around her like vultures waiting for something to die. "Hi Kain!" Ruka giggled, she was beyond tipsy and heading into smashed, and she still had a drink in her hand.

"Sweetheart, it's time to go home." I glared at the guys and they dispersed, apparently I was scary enough. "You need to sleep that off, Ruka."

"I haven't finished my drink..." She whined. "Just let me finish this drink... then I'll go with you, Aka-chan."

She hadn't called me that since we were three. She was obviously way too drunk for her own good, and technically she wasn't even legal.

"Alright, we're going." I called the bartender over and slammed down a $100. I didn't care what it took; I just needed to get Ruka out of there. I forced Ruka to set the glass down, and then picked her up, bridal style.

"Aka-chan!" Ruka squirmed in my arms, but she was too drunk to even get close to getting away. "I don't want to leave! I'm having fun! The guys like me here!"

I didn't bother to say that was because she was drunk and easy prey, it wouldn't stick now. She was too drunk to see straight, let alone think straight.

I took her back to the moon dorms, which were empty at the moment. I took her to her room and lay her on her bed, hoping that she wouldn't try that again.

"Aka-chan?" She was blushing, and I couldn't tell if it was because she was embarrassed or if it was just from all the alcohol she had consumed. "Aka-chan, will you lay with me?"

I debated momentarily. She might kill me in the morning, so was it worth it?

"Aka-chan!" She whined, making a grab for me. "Pretty please with sugar and a... a... a kiss! I'll give you a kiss if you lay with me!"

It was then I really began to wonder about how much alcohol was in her system. As far as I knew, she had never had those kinds of feelings for me.

"I'm not going to take advantage of you, Ruka." I backed away from the bed and headed for the door. "Talk to me about your feelings in the morning."

Just as I touched the doorknob, she screamed an eardrum-rattling scream, which slowly dissolved into sobs that hurt my chest.

"Ruka..." I turned towards her and took a step back toward the bed. "Ruka, why did you get drunk like that? That's not you."

"Lord Kaname..." Several more sobs wracked her body before she could continue. "Said he never wants my blood again, and that I was just convenient for him that time. I was just a toy to him... I feel so...so..." She whipped a pillow across the room. It hit the wall with a thump and slid down.

I gave in. I sat beside her, held her and let her cry. It hurt to hear her sob Lord Kaname's name, but at least she wasn't breaking anything.

"I'm tired..." She sighed when it had been light out for at least 30 minutes. Tears were still streaming down her face, but she had calmed down mostly. "Will you sleep with me Aka-chan?"

I sighed. If I wanted her to sleep off the alcohol, if I wanted her to sleep period, it didn't look like I had a choice.

I pulled her shoes off, then mine, and tucked us both in. Ruka fell asleep within a few minutes, but I didn't. When I finally passed out, I had dreams of Ruka, as always.

When I woke up, Ruka was leaning over me. "Morning, Akatsuki." Her eyes were slightly glazed over; it was obvious she had the hangover from hell.

"Morning... what are you doing?" I stayed where I was, unable to move.

"Well," Ruka laid her hands on my chest. "I'm pretty sure I promised you a kiss last night..."

"Ruka, you were drunk." I started to sit up, but she leaned in closer, forcing me back down. "You don't have to keep good on your word when you obviously weren't in your right mind..."

"Akatsuki?" Ruka asked. She had the faintest of smiles on her face, as if she had plotted something out.

"Yeah?" I stared up at her.

"Shut up." And then she was kissing me. I kept my hands to myself, but kissed back with every piece of my soul.

When I pulled away, blinking at her with shock in every fiber of my being, she just smiled. "Just because I was drunk doesn't mean I don't love you. Don't be stupid. Next time, assume I'm in my right mind. I didn't want to have to wait for my kiss."

Next time? "Oh there won't be a next time." I warned. "Because you're never going to cry again." I sat up and tipped her back onto the bed and kissed her again, leaning over her much the same way she had done with me.

Although the night before was terrible, we were together. And when someone asks us how we got together... well...

We usually just say alcohol was involved.

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Author Note: Oh geez Louise, it's almost 2AM... and I have stuff to do today. Quick Note: the only song I would listen to while writing this was "To The Moon And Back" by Savage Garden. If you look it up, you'll see why, I think. As always, I love your opinions, whether they're in a review or a PM. And, of course, thank you for reading.


	4. Test

Author Note: I'm sorry I haven't added to this lately either, I've been busy with my ShikiXRima project and my fiction project. And I haven't had time to get my club and chase down some inspiration. But on the theme of Ruka being a little damaged, I have this for you. This is Ruka's point of view, and also, please note that these are non-related one-shots, and they're not in any order.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight. I make no profit from this.

* * *

I locked the bathroom door and watched the pregnancy test's screen turn blue. Akatsuki and I had just gotten married barely three months ago, and I was already pregnant?

I was scared to tell him, I didn't know how he would feel about it. I sat down against the door, staring at the positive pregnancy test, unable to form words or tears.

"Ruka? Are you alright in there?" Akatsuki was just on the other side of the door, but I couldn't seem to make my mouth form the words to lie. "Ruka?"

I set the pregnancy test down on the bathroom counter and unlocked the door, then whipped it open and hugged him tightly.

"Don't be mad..." I whispered. "Please don't be mad..."

"Why would I ever be mad at you?" Akatsuki looked around, once or twice I had broken something and acted much the same way, but then he spied the pregnancy test. "Are you..." He trailed off.

"Yes... it's positive." I pressed my face into his shirt more, hugging him tightly.

"Ruka, I could never be mad about that..." He tipped my chin up and kissed my lips ever so gently. "A baby is a gift. I'm not mad."

"You promise you're not mad at me?" I whispered, gazing up at my husband. "You're not lying right?"

"I'm never mad at you." Akatsuki pulled me closer. "And aren't you excited? We're going to have a baby. And she'll look just like you."

"What if I'm a horrible mother?" I paused. "What if I end up... like my Mother?"

"You're never going to turn into your mother." He stroked my hair. "And you'll be a great Mother, because you know how not to treat your child. Trust me, you'll be a great mother."

Nine months later, I held our baby girl, Akemi. She was a little angel, rarely ever cried, and somehow, our family felt so right with her there. I felt right, holding my baby.

Maybe Akatsuki was right... maybe I was a good mother.

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Author Note: It's really late... or early, depending on how you look at it. I need to get to bed. Side note: I intended this plot for Of Sunburns and Pocky, but it didn't seem to fit for Shiki and Rima, know what I mean? I love reviews and PMs! And, of course, thank you so much for reading.


	5. Words

Author: I suspect this will be my last add of the day/night, and then I have other crap to do. Hope you enjoy! This is Kain's point of view!

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight and I make no profit from this.

* * *

"Where is Ruka?" I asked Rima. "I can't find her."

"She locked herself in the first floor bathroom and won't let anyone in." Rima shrugged. "You can go try to get her, she says she's skipping class. No one knows what's wrong with her."

I made my way to the first floor bathroom and knocked. "Ruka? What's wrong?" The only answer I got was a sob. "Ruka, c'mon, it's just me, Akatsuki. Let me in."

"Go to hell!" Ruka sobbed again, and it hurt to hear it. "Everyone just leave me alone to die!"

Well, we hadn't seen this type of mood swing since Lord Kaname had rejected her for Yuuki.

"Ok, Ruka, you better move away from the door." I warned. "I'm going to kick it in."

"I am away from the door, asshole!" Ruka's voice was raw from crying.

I kicked in the door, and Ruka was sitting there in the tub, with no water in it, drying her eyes with a hand towel.

I was vaguely aware that I would be paying to get the door fixed, but I didn't care. "What happened?"

"My M-..." She started to cry all over again, dissolving into sobs. But I knew exactly who had caused this.

Her mother.

"C'mon, we're skipping class tonight." I reached into the tub and attempted to scoop her up.

"No! I want to die alone and unloved!" Ruka screamed. "Don't touch me!" She continued ranting about how she didn't deserve to be loved.

"You're being immature. Whatever your mother-" As soon as I said the word mother, she went back to sobbing. "Said, it can't be that bad."

"She...she..." Ruka couldn't seem to catch her breath. She curled in close to my chest and sobbed breathlessly.

"Ruka, breathe." I made my way up to her room and sat on her bed with her. "What did she say?"

"She wishes..." All cried out now, Ruka was hiccupping instead of sobbing. "That I was never born..." Hiccup. "Because..." Hiccup. "I'm a horrible daughter." Hiccup.

As much as I wanted to say _that's because she's a bitch, _it would've only made the situation worse.

"What would life be like if I was never born?" Ruka looked up at me with her big almond eyes, hiccups gone, but instead she was shaking now.

"Rima wouldn't have a great friend like you..." I began slowly. "Lord Kaname would be missing a follower... Aidou wouldn't have someone to argue with... and I would be lonely."

"Are you happy that I was born, Akatsuki?" She had a handful of my shirt now, and seemed to be clinging to me for dear life.

"Of course." I smiled at her. "I love you, Ruka. Of course I'm glad you were born."

"Love?" She asked as if it was a foreign concept. "You love me?"

"More than my own life." I kissed her forehead, something I hadn't done since we were kids. "Please don't listen to your mother, she's unforgivably and irrefutably cruel. There are people who love you, even if they're not in your family."

"I love you too Akatsuki... I just..." She trailed off and looked at me helplessly. "I don't know... if it's like that. I've never thought of you like that, I guess."

"I'll be here for you, forever. Anytime you need me, always." I murmured and held her closer.

It didn't take long. Two weeks later, when everyone was in the living room, including us, Ruka Souen grabbed me and kissed me.

There were varied reactions from the group, a wolf-whistle, some clapping, an "Oh geez". I wasn't paying all that much attention though, I had my Ruka, and she loved me like I loved her.

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Author Note: This one didn't really come out right. The thing about Ruka's mother saying that is believable right? I love reviews and PMs, and thank you for reading!


	6. Like This

Author Note: I lied. I don't have anywhere near the time need to get started on my new fiction project (I know, there's a long string of failed ones so far) so I started to feel bad about ending Fixed. So here's another one-shot for all my faithful Fixed readers who don't like that I ended that. This is Kain's point of view again.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Knight and I make no profit from this.

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"Ruka, what happened?" I brushed back her hair, surveying her black eye. "Don't tell me you ran into a door, because I know you're not that stupid."

"Aidou and I got into a fight." Ruka flinched away from my touch as I tried to judge the depth of the bruise. "Ow, Akatsuki, that _hurts_."

"I'm sorry. And what did you say to him?" I reached into the freezer and then shoved some ice into a bag, holding it against her eye.

"Why do you always suspect that I start it every time?" Ruka tried to back up away from the ice, but I put my free hand on her back to stop her.

"Because you throw the first verbal strike every time, and Hanabusa throws the first punch, every time." I held the ice to her eye, checking on it every once in a while. "It's going to take a little while to go away, he got you pretty good."

"I told him that he was an asshole and no girl could ever truly love him." Ruka stared me down with her good eye. "He is an asshole and you know it, so don't try to argue."

"I really should defend him, but I don't feel up to it." I sighed. "And I'm more worried about you. Any other injuries I should know about?"

"I think I have a patch of frostbite on my right arm." She pulled her sleeve up slightly to show me a handprint mark that did indeed look like frostbite.

"Right. Hold this on your eye." I handed off the bag of ice to her and slowly started to warm the mark on her arm. "You know, you've been crankier with Hanabusa lately. PMS?"

"No." Ruka looked away, anywhere but at my eyes. "I just haven't felt up to putting up with him. He pisses me off so much lately. He thinks he's all that and that he could have any girl he wants. He just makes me mad."

"The lady doth protest too much." I stated and she glared at me. "You're hiding something, Ruka. What is it? You know you can tell me."

"Love discussions just piss me off lately." She closed her eye and sighed. "I guess I'm just lonely. Lord Kaname doesn't want me... there's not really anyone else I've had my eye on. I'm just lonely. Do you ever get lonely, Akatsuki?"

"All the time." I moved my hand off of her arm and surveyed the mark. It had faded mostly. "Let me see your eye."

Ruka slowly pulled the ice away from her eye. It had faded from the blackish-purple of a deep bruise to a pastel lavender, almost gone.

"It'll be gone before class." I gently moved her hand with the ice back up to her eye. "Keep the ice on it for now, just to help it heal faster."

"Why haven't you gone after any girls romantically?" Ruka asked, looking up at me with her good eye. "Are you gay?"

Far from it. "No. I just have my eye one girl specifically and I'm... waiting for her to notice me." I realized I was still holding her arm and quickly let go.

"What are you waiting for? You should just go up to her and grab her – like this!" She dropped her hand from her eye, grabbed me and kissed me hard.

I pretty much just stood there in shock until she pulled away. When I had control over my voice again, I asked, "You knew all along didn't you?"

"Are you kidding?" Ruka smirked. "You're obvious. I've known ever since we were kids. I've been waiting for my opportunity since we were 9." She threw the bag of ice on the counter and pranced out.

"Girls." I sighed and shook my head, but I couldn't help smiling. _She waited that long for a kiss?_

_

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_

Author Note: I don't know exactly when I thought of this one, it was when Aidou got in trouble and had to hold the buckets of water? Anyone know what I mean? And Ruka yelled at him and he said he would kill her? Ah, well, anyway, what do _you_ think? I love reviews and PMs about my stories, and of course, thank you for reading.


	7. Goodnight

Author Note: I'm trying to get everything updated before the storm hits. (Panics.) I've only got this and "Of Sunburns and Pocky" to do, and then if I finish those I can go back and work on "Children". We're doing Ruka's point of view this time.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

"Ruka, it's raining." Akatsuki stood nearby, holding an umbrella over me.

I, on the other hand, was slumped against a tree, dress muddy, crying out in the rain. I was probably going to get sick, but I didn't care.

"I'm going to die alone." I told him. "Lord Kaname, my only love, hates me. I'm going to die alone."

"Don't say that." Akatsuki sat beside me, in the mud, slouching down and holding the umbrella over me more. "You're never alone. I'm always here."

"You..." I almost started to say _you don't count, _but changed it quickly. "You're not Lord Kaname."

"True, but I'm always here for you." Anyone else would've been screaming at me, to get over Lord Kaname, to give them a chance. Akatsuki just wrapped an arm around me and held the umbrella over our heads. "Ruka, we should get inside, you're going to get sick."

"Make me." I spat, and suddenly the umbrella was on the ground and I was in Akatsuki's arms and we were headed for the front door to the moon dorms. "Bitch." I muttered in a venomous way that among many others would've gotten me slapped.

"You said make you." He pushed open the door; we were both soaking wet and muddy by now.

"Akatsuki, Ruka!" Takuma looked at us, shocked, from the couch. "What happened?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Wait here, I'll get some towels." He ran off in the general direction of the nearest bathroom.

"I hate you." I mumbled under my breath to Akatsuki. "I really do."

"You wish you hated me." He said and set me on the floor, on my feet. "But you don't."

"Shut it." Shivering, I leaned against him and he held me close. "Why are you always taking care of me, Akatsuki? I've never done anything to deserve this treatment."

"You're there, Ruka, you're there and you're you, and that's enough." Kain picked a windblown leaf out of my hair. "When you get dried off you should go change into something warm. You're freezing."

"I do what I please." I growled as Takuma walked up holding a stack of towels.

When I tried to move away, Akatsuki wrapped me forcibly in the towels and picked me up. I sneezed.

"I told you. You're going to get sick now." He chastised. Takuma looked at us briefly, eyebrows raised, and then wandered off.

"What about you?" I glared at Akatsuki. "Half the time you weren't even under an umbrella. You should get sick, not me."

"I never get sick." He kicked his shoes off, they were too muddy to wear upstairs anyway, and started for the stairs.

"I do not enjoy being wrapped up like this." I sneezed again. "And if I get the chance I'm going to kill you for it."

"Bullshit." Akatsuki said, and I knew he was right. I could never hurt him, not physically anyway. He set me down in front of my room. "Get some clothes and then go take a hot shower." He turned away, but I grabbed his arm.

"Akatsuki." I whispered and reeled him in. "I don't want to die alone." I felt like an idiot to top off my depression, I was so bundled up in the fluffy white towels I probably looked like little white riding hood.

"I know you don't." He held me close again. "Nobody wants to."

"Just this once... if never again..." I began slowly. "Would you save me from that?"

"Are you asking me to go steady with you?" Akatsuki asked, blinking his suddenly huge orange eyes at me.

"I'm asking you... to..." I sighed. "Yes. That's what I'm asking."

"Of course I will." He pulled me closer, close enough that I could feel his heartbeat.

I eventually got into the shower, and when I came out, dressed in my nightgown, Akatsuki was standing at the door to my and Rima's room.

"Akatsuki?" I asked, confused. "What are you...?"

He leaned in close, kissing my forehead. "Goodnight, Ruka."

And suddenly, above all else, it was good.

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Author Note: I always picture Ruka and Kain moving really slow once they're in a relationship, just because I think Ruka wouldn't be the type to jump his bones, and Kain wouldn't be pushy. By the way, when vampires go to bed in the morning, do they still say goodnight? Anyhow, I love reviews, and thank you for reading!


	8. New House

Author Note: I decided I had an idea for this, since I actually had the idea for two days before I decided to write it. It's really short, sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight; otherwise Ruka and Kain would be together already. I make no profit from this.

* * *

Everything about the new house scared me. It was strange and foreign, even just a floorboard creaking made me jump a good two feet in the air.

Akatsuki and I were newly married, and we had just moved into the new house.

As we crawled into bed that first day in the new house, I pressed up tight against Akatsuki, shaking at the mere sound of the wind whipping around the house.

"It's not that scary being here, is it?" Akatsuki murmured in my ear, but held me and stroked my hair all the same.

"It's not scary. It's just kind of weird." I protested, but then something creaked. I squeaked and pressed up tighter against my husband, hugging him around the neck tightly.

"Ruka, it's ok to be scared, how many times have I told you that?" He kissed my cheek, then my temple, and then my forehead. "I'm not like your mother, I'm not going to reprimand you for feeling something. I love you."

"I know, sorry." I let go of his neck and held onto his pajama shirt in an attempt not to strangle him by accident. "It's just a bad habit I have to break."

"I'll be here for you, no matter what." Akatsuki held me closer. "You know I love you, Ruka, why are you always so scared?"

"Just the way I was raised..." I leaned my face against his chest, reveling in the smell of him and his blood. "When I was little my mother told me I needed to fear my husband because I was to be seen and not heard... that I was meant to be basically arm candy and a baby maker..."

"That's not what you are to me." Akatsuki punctuated this when he kissed me, a slow, gentle, patient kiss that I could feel all the way down to my toes.

When he finally pulled away, he rolled onto his back and pulled my head onto his chest. "Ruka, I promise nothing will get you. You're always safe as long as you're with me."

"I love you, Akatsuki." I murmured as I started to fall asleep. I kissed his chest lightly.

"I love you too." Akatsuki's hand was in my hair and I could smell his blood and hear his heartbeat. I was lulled to sleep by that very heartbeat.

And that is how I got used to the new house.

* * *

Author Note: Definitely not the best one I ever wrote, but it was one I had to write. What do you think? I love reviews and thank you so much for reading!


	9. Front and Center

Prompt: Show a scene that left a mark on Ruka and Akatsuki when they were younger.

Author Note: I haven't added over here in forever, I'm sorry. If you don't read Of Sunburns and Pocky, I'll give you a quick update. I'm officially on the third part of a four-part fiction project, which is why I've been so completely absent here. But I'm going to try and add at least every weekend, if not more often! Promise, I will try my best. Also, I hate 3rd person with a passion, but I found it the best way to write this, so I'm sorry if it's bad.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vampire Knight. I don't make any profit from this. We good?

* * *

"Hanabusa! We don't hit girls!" 8-year-old Akatsuki screamed at Hanabusa as Ruka cried in his arms. Tensions were at an all time high between the three, as Ruka and Aidou had been getting in even more fights than usual.

"She started it!" Hanabusa crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from the two, visibly annoyed with both of them.

"Let me see, Ruka." Akatsuki murmured, and tried to tip Ruka's chin up so he could see her eye. Hanabusa had punched her in the right eye as far as he could tell, but Ruka had refused to let him see it so far.

"No!" Ruka hid her face in Akatsuki's shirt further, refusing to let him see her eye.

"Hanabusa, I'm going to have to kill you." Akatsuki muttered, and the aforementioned boy genius took off running. With Akatsuki in that bad of a mood, it was best for him to keep a safe distance. "Does it hurt, Ruka?" The orange haired boy tried again to tip Ruka's chin up.

"N-Not too bad..." Ruka let him tip her chin up, but she quickly covered her eye. "I just... don't want you to see it... you'll think I'm ugly..."

"Ruka, you are not ugly. You could never be ugly." Akatsuki wrapped his hand around her wrist and gave it a gentle tug. "I just want to make sure it's healing ok. I promise I won't think you're ugly."

"Promise?" Ruka asked, but she let him tug her hand away.

"I promise." Akatsuki studied her eye. The eye itself looked fine, but around her eye and her eyelid were a light shade of lavender that was rapidly fading. "It's almost better."

"Mother is going to mad at me for getting into a fight." Ruka started to tremble and leaned against Akatsuki more. "I'm going to get in trouble again..."

That was when Akatsuki Kain did something he had never done in the midst of a Ruka-Hanabusa fight before. He took a side.

"I'll tell them he started it." He pulled Ruka close as she shook with fear. Ruka's parents had always been strict, and she had always had a genuine fear of them, a fear only Akatsuki ever saw. "Don't worry about it, ok?"

"You're so nice, Akatsuki..." Ruka looked up at him. "How come you're so nice to me when you're supposed to be Hanabusa's friend?"

Akatsuki felt a blush creeping up his face. Should he tell the truth or formulate a lie? Ruka was looking up at him so earnestly, the only thing he could think of was the truth, so-

"Because I love you." The orange-haired boy blurted out.

Ruka's eyes betrayed her shock. She stared up at Akatsuki as if he had just grown three more heads. This was clearly not eight-year-old girl territory, and it wasn't normal for eight-year-old boys either, as far as she knew. After all, Aidou wasn't in love with anyone right?

"It's ok." Akatsuki pretended he wasn't as hurt as he felt by patting the girl on the shoulder and turning back towards the house. "You don't have to say anything."

"I'm sorry..." Ruka felt as if she was going to cry all over again, but she knew that she shouldn't, not right now.

"Don't be." Akatsuki took her hand in the gentlest way possible. "Come on. We should go tell on Hanabusa."

That day marked the end of an era, and the beginning of a new game. The game of cat and mouse between the two, the one that would last 10 years.

* * *

"Akatsuki!" Came 18-year-old Ruka's voice from her room. She had been struggling with this for nearly half an hour, and, exhausted, she was giving in and calling Akatsuki to her room.

"Yeah, Ruka?" Akatsuki appeared in the doorway, as he would at all hours of the day or night when she called him. He leaned against the doorframe and looked at her, waiting.

"I can't get my dress zipped." Ruka struggled to keep her mouth in a straight line. She was in a good mood today, she was almost always in a good mood when she was invited to a soiree, but she had been left alone to get dressed and... Well, sometimes the best-laid plans go awry.

"Your Mother wouldn't approve of me doing this for you." Akatsuki muttered, but made his way over to her and zipped her dress for her anyway.

"Shh, Akatsuki, if you call the devil, she will come." Ruka put a finger to his lips and giggled.

"Please tell me you're not drunk or high." The boy watched Ruka struggle to get her hair just perfect. "And don't put those bobby pins in your mouth."

"I am not on any substance. Promise." Ruka muttered around the ten bobby pins in her mouth. "And they're perfectly clean."

Akatsuki ended that conversation when he forcibly took the pins out from between her lips. "I believe you that they're clean, I just don't want you swallowing them."

"I've never swallowed one before." Ruka bonked him on the nose and smiled at him, a smile he hadn't seen in a long time. "Don't worry so much, silly."

"Alright, what's going on?" He grabbed her by her shoulders and stared her down. "You're never this happy. Not that I don't enjoy it, but something is weird here. What's going on, Ruka?"

"Oh, alright, if you _must _know." Ruka stepped away from him and did a little twirl, her dress flaring out as she did so. "I'm in love."

"With Lord Kaname?" Akatsuki felt his heart drop from his chest to somewhere beneath the basement of the house.

"No." Ruka froze mid-twirl and smiled. "Someone I know better."

"Hanabusa?" Akatsuki knew it had to be anybody besides himself. Ruka could never like him; he had known that back when they were 8.

"Are you on drugs?" Ruka laughed, but didn't wait for an answer. "No... It's someone I've always kind of... admired. Someone who always took care of me. Someone who was always there for me."

Akatsuki's heart danced in his chest. Who else could she mean? He slowly allowed himself to get his hopes up. Had she finally realized how much he meant to her, and how much she meant to him?

"Don't stand there like you're confused." Ruka smiled and for once, it reached her eyes. "You know it's you. It's not egotistical to think so, you're the only one who's ever taken care of me and been there for me."

Akatsuki swept her up in a hug and lavished her with kisses, and for once, the love inside his heart wasn't on the back burner anymore. His love for Ruka was front and center, and always would be.

* * *

Author Note: I'm actually debating about doing another Rukain tonight while I'm at it. I don't know, we'll see. A lot of things got changed in the writing process of this story, just so you know. Drop me a comment? I love your opinions.


	10. Better Than Ok

Prompt: Akatsuki's jealousy

Author Note: It's almost midnight and I still haven't started on part three of my fiction project. Plus, this chair is getting really uncomfortable. Anyway, I was reading a wonderful ShikiXRima story, "Sincerely Yours" by Seynee (if you haven't read it, go read it, it's one of the best things you'll ever read) and I got this idea. It's really just a quickie one-shot of what Akatsuki must be feeling. Akatsuki Kain's point of view!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

It's amazing that I haven't turned green yet, really.

I know; I love Ruka so much. I should want her to be happy. But I see the way she looks at Lord Kaname, the way she turns toward him, and I can't help but feel jealous. He's never loved her like I have yet she loves him.

Yes, he's a pureblood. I can never compete with that, but he doesn't love her like I do. I appreciate her in ways that he has never appreciated her. I've known her since we were little.

I've never used Ruka the way Lord Kaname used her. But I was the one who tucked her into bed that night after he bit her, I was the one who held her every night after that as she cried. She never understood that he didn't want her; she never understood why he didn't want her blood again.

He's never loved her the way I love her. To him, she's a toy. To me, she's a beautiful, perfect woman.

"Akatsuki, you look like you just sucked on a lemon. What are you thinking of?" Ruka's leaning over the back of the couch, her mouth right next to my ear.

"Hey Ruka." I say instead of the truth. "Do you need something?"

"That day class boy is stalking me again." She refers to the day class president, who's been obsessed with her for years. "Want to scare him off for me?"

"Let him be for a while." Rima is cuddled up to Shiki on the couch opposite us, and they're sharing a box of pocky. "He's not causing any trouble at the moment, is he?"

Ruka exhales loudly and sits next to me, so close that I can smell her perfume and feel her warmth on my side. "I don't like him. Last time he was trying to get a picture of me in my underwear..."

Anger flares in me, white-hot and combining with the jealousy, it's like death in a bottle. I start to stand, but Ruka sees, knowing me all too well, and pulls me back down.

"Down boy." Ruka leans on me, like she always does whenever either of us is upset. "We don't need you killing him right now."

I don't say anything. Instead, I put my arm behind her on the back of the couch, being careful not to touch her.

As Rima and Shiki finish their box of pocky, look at the clock and then run out the door, Ruka and I are left alone.

"Where's Lord Kaname tonight?" I ask, because Ruka usually enjoys being asked this, because she almost always knows.

"I don't know." Ruka shrugs a bit and tips her head back against my arm. "I haven't been keeping tabs on him lately."

I look at her in surprise, and then touch her forehead. "Are you sick?"

"No." Ruka squirms as I put my cheek against her forehead. "It's just..." She sighs loudly and relaxes against me. "I don't know. It's not the same. I don't get the same rush when I look at him anymore... I just... things have changed. That's all."

"Ruka, what's wrong?" I hug her tight against me. "You've been infatuated with Kaname since we were 7. What's changed?" I wonder why I'm asking all this, why I'm not taking my opening. That's when I realize I wouldn't do something so rude to her because _I love her_.

"It just wore off, I guess." She turns on my lap, her back against my chest. "Akatsuki? Why do you always do this when I'm upset?"

"Do what?" I blink and knot my hands at her hip.

"Hold me so close... talk to me so nicely..." She pauses and pulls my left hand from my right and toys with my fingers. "And treat me like someone you really care about..."

"I do care about you." I haven't told her I loved her since we were 13. That was disastrous, and I refuse to do it again, at least until I'm sure she'll say it back.

"How do you care about me?" She prods, tracing the lines in my palm. "Am I like... the sister you never wanted... or... the best female friend you would never date... or the girl you have a crush on...?"

"Why do you ask?" I want to say 'why does it matter, if I'm here?' but I could never be that mean to Ruka.

"I don't know..." She won't meet my eyes as she says it. "I need someone I can focus on."

"Focus on?" I repeat her words as a question and she accidentally looks at me.

"Sorry." There are tears in her eyes, and she looks away quickly. "I'm just wondering, Kain, really." I can practically hear my heart crack in two when she calls me by my last name. She has never called me that, ever in our lives.

"You're crying..." Every anxiety and bit of jealousy I had in my heart locks itself in a backroom. Ruka was crying, and I had caused it, somehow. "What did I do?"

"I'm ok, I'm fine, I'm alright..." Ruka's openly sobbing now, is clearly not fine, and she sounds as if she's trying to convince herself more than me.

"Ruka..." I know she would hate for anyone besides me to see this, so I carry her up to her room. "Sh, I'm sorry..."

"I feel horrible, acting like this..." She looks up at me as I sit on her bed with her, holding her. The makeup that she doesn't need is running down her face. "But I have a question. Do you still love me, Akatsuki, or do you just care about me? I'm scared of being alone. Kaname doesn't want me, I know that, and in the past few weeks I've gotten over him. But I'm afraid of being alone, you know me, I've always had this fear, but it's gotten worse. I'm scared."

Every piece of jealousy in my heart dissolved into love for Ruka. There wasn't any more room for jealousy; the love took up all the space in my heart.

"Ruka?" I say her name and she looks up at me. A sob tears out of her throat, and I add, "Sh." And then lean down, kissing her forehead, then her nose, and then her lips.

She tastes of saltwater tears but mostly of _Ruka_. She doesn't pull away, but instead leans into me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

When the kiss ends, she looks at me with wide eyes. Her face is wet with tears, but she's stopped crying. Her eyes are full of an almost childish wonder and one of her hands is gripping the back of my collar of my shirt like a lifeline.

"Are you ok?" I ask, unsure if she's settled down or going to have a freak-out.

"You have no clue." Ruka smiles, and although it's a shaky smile, it's true. "I'm much better than ok."

* * *

Author Note: I hate writing kissing scenes from boy points of view! I just about rolled over and died trying to write that one little paragraph. I actually wasn't planning for them to kiss in this one, it was supposed to be subtler. Anyway, drop me a comment if you want. I don't know what or when I'll be doing for my next fanfiction, but I love reviews.


	11. Fears

Author Note: I'm trying to update everything at least once before the storm gets real bad. I hate when the power goes out and I have to leave you guys with nothing for two or three days... Anyway, the idea for this came to me when I thought of what a lot of girls fear. Ruka was raised to be a "lady" so I saw her having a paralyzing fear in this area...

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight and I make absolutely no profit from this!

* * *

This kind of behavior was definitely uncommon for thirteen year olds.

"Akatsuki!" Ruka yelled from her room. Akatsuki came running, as he always did. Whenever she called his name, he was pulled to her, day or night, rain or shine.

"What's wrong?" Akatsuki scanned the room, but everything seemed fine.

Ruka looked at him with huge eyes and looked around, then darted to him, hugging him tighter than she ever had before. "There's a spider..."

Akatsuki tried not to sigh. Besides not being good enough for Kaname, this was Ruka's other crippling fear, and he always tried to understand.

"Ok, show me where the spider is." Akatsuki gently tried to detach her from him, but she wouldn't let go. "Ruka, if you want me to get rid of it, you have to show me where it is..."

"I'm scared..." Ruka hid her face against his shirt.

"I know, I know." Akatsuki picked her up and set her on her bed. "Tuck your legs up, I won't let it get you. Where is it?"

Ruka pointed a shaking finger at her vanity mirror, where a single daddy long legs spider crawled placidly, uninterested in anything.

"It won't hurt you, I promise." Akatsuki scooped the spider out, took it to the front porch and set it on the railing. When he returned, Ruka was nearly in tears.

"You didn't kill it right?" She asked, bottom lip shaking. "It didn't deserve to die just because I was scared of it... you didn't right?"

"I just took it outside." The boy sat beside her and hugged her tight. "It'll live a long happy life there."

"Thank you... Akatsuki..." Ruka buried her face in his shirt. "You're the only one who understands."

"I try to." Akatsuki held her close and rubbed her back. "Are you going to be alright, Ruka?"

"Yeah..." Ruka looked up at Akatsuki, who even at thirteen was taller than her. "You're the best friend I could ever ask for."

Even so young, the word "friend" felt like a bullet in the boy's heart. Still, he tried not to let it control him. "I'm glad I can be here for you."

But Ruka had a secret, one she kept even from Akatsuki. She had a crush on him, a crush she had harbored for a few years now. It was the way he always cared for her, always taken care of her, the way he understood. But she had been scared for just as long as she had this crush, that he wouldn't understand this, that he wouldn't see her that way.

"You're so special..." Ruka gave him a broken little smile. "I hope... that the girl you end up loving appreciates you."

Their eyes locked, and unspeakable tension flowed through their gazes. They understood the rules: Akatsuki wouldn't make her do anything; it was Ruka's job to do it.

Ruka leaned in and lay her lips ever so lightly on Akatsuki's that either of them could barely feel it. As her nerves ebbed, she increased the pressure, kissing him with increasing intensity. Akatsuki's hands drifted down to her hips, which he laid his hands against. Ruka slowly wrapped her arms around his neck; in such a cautious manner that Akatsuki briefly wondered if she was still nervous. They had both been dreaming of this moment, but neither of them knew it.

The next time Ruka saw a spider, she hoped it could lead to a moment just like this.

* * *

Author Note: I'm laughing because that was the worst kiss scene ever. My prompt was arachnophobia, if you can't tell. I kind of like the way this one turned out, but I hate writing in third person. Anyone have any tips for me about writing in third person? Thank you for reading!


	12. Beginnings

Author Note: I already fell asleep at my desk twice. I just have this to do, and then I can go to bed. I hope you like this one, because I'm going through heck in a handbag to get it out. This is Akatsuki Kain's point of view, because I find that easiest.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight, and I make no profit from this.

* * *

"I'm going to be alone forever, Akatsuki!" Ruka threw herself at me, clinging to my shirt and sobbing. Hanabusa looked at me in shock from his side of the room, Ruka hadn't even checked to make sure he wasn't in the room. This was definitely bad.

"What happened?" I motioned at Hanabusa until he ran out, shutting the door behind him. I wrapped my arms around Ruka and held her close.

"Arata got married!" Ruka couldn't control her sobs, and she seemed to be hyperventilating already.

It took a minute for the name Arata to register with me. After it registered, I realized he was the first boyfriend Ruka had ever had not to mention her first kiss. It would've been stupid to say that to her though.

"Ruka, you're not going to be alone forever." I sat down on my bed and held her close, on my lap. "I promise you, you will find someone." I still had some hope that someone would be me, but with Ruka's love for Lord Kaname in the way of me having a chance, I didn't see any reason for hope.

"Lord Kaname only wants Yuuki. I haven't had a boyfriend since I was 15-" I flinched, remembering how that had went. Ruka only brought up that boyfriend when she was having a really bad day. "And he only wanted me for my body!"

"Not every guy only wants you for your body or your blood." I coaxed. "I promise."

"Name one." Ruka was practically hysterical now, she was sobbing so hard she could only get two or three words out at once, and the tears were dripping off her face like tiny waterfalls.

I was in a tight spot. I couldn't figure out if I should tell her that I loved her, even though it was the worst time possible, or if I should name an old boyfriend of hers.

Ruka stared at me, tears dripping off her chin, her chest heaving with sobs, and I made my choice.

"Akatsuki Kain." My own name felt strange on my tongue, as if I shouldn't be saying it.

With one last sob, she looked at me in confusion. "Why... Akatsuki, why would you... you don't like me like that though, right?"

"Yes, I do." I gave her a soft smile. "I've always loved you, Ruka. Always."

"I..." She swallowed, wiped her eyes and tried again. "What is love? I've had boyfriends, but... I don't think I've ever been in love."

I blinked at her in shock. Ruka Souen, queen bee of the boys, had never been in love?

"I mean, I've thought guys were cute, yeah... but I don't think I was in love with any of them." Ruka shrugged. "So when you say you love me, I guess I don't understand."

"Love is gentle." I began, reciting an old quote I had seen once. "Love is caring, and always there when you need it. Love stands by you, and love hurts when you hurt."

Ruka curled up against my chest and smiled slightly. "Is love someone you feel safe with?" She asked and wrapped her arms around my neck gently. "Someone you can tell everything, someone you trust with everything?"

"It can be." We were staring into each other's eyes now.

"I trust you, Akatsuki." She murmured. "Does that count for anything?"

"Of course it does." I turned my face away from hers slightly so I wouldn't take advantage of the situation and she wouldn't do anything she would regret. "It counts for a beginning."

* * *

Author Note: This one is short and I still kept falling asleep writing it. I'm exhausted, but I wanted to add to everything before I started my prequel to my fiction project, which is going to be hard. And take up a lot of time with research and crap. Anyway, will you leave a comment? I love hearing from my readers...


	13. This Will Work

Author Note: I'm trying so hard to add to everything tonight, but I doubt that it's going to work out, since I have to do stuff tomorrow. I think I should be tearing my hair out right now (I need to do 50 plots in the next 4 hours and 20 minutes for my fiction work) but I'm pretty calm. Pretty much. Kain's point of view again!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight. I make no profit from this. Promise.

* * *

"And how did you possibly manage to get into a fight with Rima?" I surveyed the burn scars across Ruka's arms and stomach. Ruka was shaking, from what I couldn't be completely sure. "They'll be completely healed in a few minutes."

Ruka didn't say anything. She wouldn't look at me, wouldn't say a word, and she was shaking. This was _Ruka_; she should've been trash-talking Rima by now. Instead she leaned against the wall and bit her lip, letting the blood run down her face.

"Ruka..." I hugged her tightly. "Ruka, you can tell me anything."

She made a noise like she was choking, but before I could panic, tears rolled down her face and she started to sob. "I hate her... she's everything I'm not." Ruka wrapped her arms around my neck and then fell to her knees, pulling me down too. "I hate her so much... she's confident and pretty and she has someone who loves her so much... her family is nice and she's in love and she's beautiful! Why can't I be like her?"

It hurt to see Ruka like this, especially because of Rima, someone who I thought Ruka had considered her friend. I could handle Ruka's Kaname troubles on most levels, but I wasn't experienced in her friend troubles... probably because outside of Hanabusa and I, she had never had a friend besides Rima.

"Why can't someone love me?" Ruka continued to cry, but all I could do was wrap my arms around her. "Why can't I be flawless like her, confident like her? Why can't I love myself?"

This was beyond any experience I had. I thought for a moment and then began, "Someone can't love you because I already do, you can't be flawless like her because imperfection is perfection, you can be confident because you're a wonderful person and you have nothing to be ashamed of, and you can love yourself." I paused. "Because if you think you can't love yourself, I can teach you, because I love you."

Ruka's head shot up and nearly hit me in the chin. Her cheeks were soaked with tears and she had dried blood on her bottom lip and chin. In all respects, she should've looked like hell, but when that smile crept across her lips, she looked like an angel.

"I want to love you." She whispered. "I just never thought... I was always so guarded because I thought you wouldn't go for someone like me..."

I shook my head a bit, but smiled at her anyway. It had been obvious to everyone but her, of course. That's how it always goes, right?

"Can I test a theory?" Ruka looked at me with big almond eyes, the tears finally drying. "Please?"

"Of course." I trusted her, and she'd never tried to do anything malicious towards me before.

She crawled into my lap and looked at me for a moment before softly placing her lips on mine. For just a half-second, we both stayed that way, and then she pulled away and smiled at me.

"So?" I asked.

"Yeah." Ruka got a little smirk to her and paused for a good thirty seconds. "This will work."

* * *

Author Note: I still have two more things to do on FF, and then I have to do my fifty plots. Wish me luck.


	14. Very Quiet

Author Note: I know, I pulled another disappearing act. Sorry, I haven't had a computer. Anyway, on to the story. This is Ruka's point of view.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight and I make no profit from this.

* * *

"Akatsuki..." I whispered in his ear. "Akatsuki, it's time for class."

Instead of jolting up like he did usually when I snuck into his room to wake him up, he grabbed me and pulled me down on top of him.

"Akatsuki!" I felt my face heat up and put my hands on his chest to push myself away from him. That would be when I realized two things. A) He was shirtless. B) That he had a fever.

"Ruka, you're freezing... come here..." Akatsuki pulled me close, squeezing me gently. When he looked at me for a moment, I could tell his eyes were fever-glazed. "What's wrong?"

"You're sick." I squirmed against him, trying to get away, but it was useless. Akatsuki was 100 times physically stronger than me; I wasn't going to get away.

"Yeah. That explains how shitty I feel." He pulled the covers over both of us and pressed his face into my neck. "Are you going to miss class to be here?"

"If you want me to." I murmured. His breath on my neck didn't allow me to think straight, but I kept thinking that he had absolutely no choice in the matter.

"I feel selfish saying it... but stay." I could feel his lips on my neck, but I knew he wouldn't bite. He would never do that unless I told him that he could.

"Good, because if you said the opposite, I wasn't going to let you have any choice." I smirked but couldn't help but squirm a little bit as he softly kissed my neck. "A-" I began but quickly changed my tune. "Kain! Don't do that." I only used his last name when I was mad, and he usually knew that when I said his last name, it was game over. But the way my voice shook with excitement, I knew he could tell I wasn't mad.

"Ruka..." Akatsuki murmured, and he was still so close.

I took a deep breath in. I shook as I inhaled, not with anger or fear; it was still excitement. "If you think you need my blood to get better, then go for it."

"No." He rolled away from me, letting me go.

I felt cold all over suddenly, and a little like I might cry. Hell, I didn't have a clue why. But I hated that he wouldn't drink my blood. Even Lord Kaname had drank my blood once, but never again. Was there something wrong with me?

"Hey..." I spooned against his back, attempting to keep us close again. What I did next surprised even me though; I leaned over his side and pressed my wrist against his fangs. He fought at first, but when the blood started to roll down his throat, he stopped fighting and drank.

I let him drink for several minutes, and I was prepared to take my wrist away if I thought he was taking too much, but he pulled away first.

"Ruka, don't do that." He wiped his mouth with a Kleenex and glared at me. Trust me, in all my 17 years with him; he had never glared at me. Ever.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" I resisted the urge to slap him. He was sick, and I would not hit him. I would not turn 17 years of trust into God knows how many more of hate for one look. But I'll be damned if I still didn't want to hit him.

"You pity me." Akatsuki spat the words at me and each one burned like acid. "You have your Lord Kaname and you pity me." While his tone sounded more lucid, his words were more unlike him than I had ever heard, not to mention unrealistic. I didn't _have_ Lord Kaname in any sense of the word.

"What the hell are you talking about, Kain?" I pushed him onto his back and held him down. If he wanted to, he could've gotten away, but I could tell that wasn't what was at hand here.

"You have Kaname, and you pity me." Akatsuki pushed himself up slightly, so our faces were closer. "All alone, pining for you. I'm like a little lovesick puppy to you."

At this point, I was wondering if I had consumed something that would've made my blood toxic to him in some way. "I don't _have_ Lord Kaname, he's all Yuuki's." I growled, leaning in close to him. "And if you don't go to sleep right now... and forget this whole huge argument, I will beat the shit out of you. I may have been raised to be a lady but I can fight like a bitch."

Apparently he was intimidated, because he lay down – and passed out almost immediately.

I lay back down beside him; although I was still pissed I didn't want him to die in his sleep.

When he woke up, he was the same old Akatsuki Kain I had known for 17 years, and he really didn't remember any of the night where I had given him my blood or when we had argued.

I noted this, and thought to myself that maybe I should get checked out before I give him blood again.

"Is something wrong, Ruka?" Akatsuki asked from his bed. I was in his doorway, had been for the past hour and didn't plan on moving anytime soon.

I didn't purposely ignore him, I was just busy thinking. I tried to name any one time I had seen Akatsuki with a fever. I couldn't remember any time like that; he always had seemed perpetually healthy, except maybe for the occasional runny nose or allergies that caused his eyes to water.

"You seriously don't remember earlier?" I asked. "Be honest."

"No." Akatsuki blinked at me, his look reminiscent of a confused puppy.

"Does anything... has anything odd ever happened when you had a fever?" I leaned against the doorframe and watched him.

"Well... my parents always said I acted... strange when I had a fever." Akatsuki stood and started towards me, but I didn't move. "That's why you and Aidou never saw me when I was really sick, apparently I had a really bad temper... but I never remembered any of those times. Did..." Shock came into his eyes. "Did I do something to you, Ruka?"

"No." I felt a blush creeping up my face at the implications. "You... said some things. You didn't really do anything..." I chose not to mention the neck kissing.

"What did I say?" Akatsuki took a few more steps and got so close that I had to look up at him, but I kept my mouth shut. "Alright. I'm sorry for anything I said." He added.

"I don't see you as a lovesick puppy." I said, and attempted to turn and – not run, that's not ladylike – walk very fast away from him. Instead, I got grabbed by my hips and turned back around.

"Oh? What do you see me as?" Though my words didn't quite hit home like they would've if he had remembered, he was curious.

"Shh, be very quiet and then I'll tell you." I managed to keep the smirk of my face. As Akatsuki looked at me expectantly, I smiled. "I see you as-" instead of finishing my sentence I pecked him on the lips and made an unladylike run for it.

* * *

Author Note: This one took forever... I just have Coexistence now and then I have a lot of fiction stuff to type up, but I'll still be answering reviews. So will you drop me a comment? I love hearing from my readers!


	15. Don't Tell

A/N: I'm so sorry. I disappeared again, for like, what, a month? I don't plan these, I swear. I'm going to try to update everything tonight, but things are... crazy right now, and I make no promises. And I have fiction work to do (People have been asking me "Why aren't you writing?" the whole time I've been gone, that's how bad it's been). Anyway, on to the disclaimer.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Vampire Knight. I make absolutely no profit from this.

* * *

The scream vibrated in 10-year-old Kain's ears. He shot from his room down the hall, panicked. He was the only one who could ever take care of her, ever. Though her parents doted in public, they ignored her at home.

_Ruka._

Kain tried her door before he realized it was jammed as usual. He half tackled it as her screams continued, only managing to get the door to give in on the third try.

The almond-haired girl writhed in her bed, in the throes of a nightmare. Her blankets were tangled around her, some even wrapped around her throat, cutting off her air just enough to make the nightmare 100 times worse.

Kain shut the door, hoping that this time Aidou wouldn't wake up, that he could calm his best friend – and crush – before anyone woke up, before the sun went down.

Before his heart broke at her screams.

"Shh, Ruka," He repeated those two words over and over as he untangled the blankets from her and smoothed her sweat-soaked hair away from her face. Ruka's eyes opened and she sobbed quietly into Kain's pajama shirt.

"Don't tell, Akatsuki, don't ever tell." Ruka whispered. That one sentence was never so much as whispered in public, even though no one else could've had a clue what it meant.

"Never." Kain promised. "I'll never tell."

"It was an accident." Ruka murmured, though she didn't have to convince Kain. Kain knew she never would've hurt anyone, not like this anyway.

"I know." Kain held Ruka close. "You don't have to prove that to me or anyone else."

The reports said the kid drowned, but they didn't know the half of it. Ruka's mind control had gone sour with anger and then the boy had drowned. No one ever suspected cute little Ruka though, after all, she was a perfect lady, right?

"Don't tell, Akatsuki." Ruka had begun to fall asleep, still cuddled up to Kain. "Don't ever tell."

"I won't ever tell." Kain whispered and he meant it. Ruka's pain made his heart break, and he wouldn't ever let anyone worsen that pain for her.

Kain stayed there, holding Ruka until the sun went down and her alarm went off.

But he didn't want to make that pain any worse for her, no matter how much pain she caused him by loving Kaname.

So he never told.

* * *

A/N: It's short, and I'm sorry. I didn't really have an idea going in so it didn't turn out well. Thank you for reading. Anyway, drop me a review if you want, I have work to do.


	16. 1 Week Every Year

Author note: Ok, here's the thing. I'm not updating a lot like I used to because of stress. Instead of thinking, I should add a one-shot to this collection, I think "I have to write 3 one shots and a chapter and my fiction work!" It kind of kills me inside. So from now on, I'm just going to add whenever I can, to whatever I can. Thank you for reading my author note, and this is Kain's point of view.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight. I make no profit from this.

* * *

Her name was Mitsuko, and we were 13.

Mitsuko Natsu was Ruka's best friend, they did everything together. Since they were 8 they were closer than I thought possible.

But then we turned 13 and their friendship went down the drain faster than foaming drain cleaner.

Ruka and Mitsuko got into a fight over a boy, a boy that Mitsuko had supposedly called "dibs" on, whatever that meant. Then Mitsuko told everyone that Ruka was sleeping around.

Ruka was emotionally exhausted for three weeks. She had no attitude, no spark, she wouldn't leave the house, and whenever Aidou insulted her, she would burst into tears.

I force fed her my blood since she wouldn't eat, let her sleep in my bed with me because otherwise she paced the house all day and cried, and steered Aidou away from her whenever their paths met. I was Ruka's soul protector and friend for once, and without me, she was a mess.

Ruka's parents couldn't have cared less. Her Mother pretended Ruka wasn't there for nearly two months, apparently she believed the rumors about her own daughter. Her father had busied himself with work, and he most likely forgot he even had a daughter.

I thought I would never know the truth about who this boy was. Did I know him? Who could it be?

The years after that always had one thing in common: the anniversary week. The week where the fight had occurred, Ruka became almost completely dependent on me again.

Fast-forward a few years. We were at Cross Academy, going on 18-years-old and the anniversary week had yet to disappear. Aidou had taken to moving to the couch for that week, since he hated seeing us together.

Over the years, Ruka had become less emotional. The anniversary week, I believe, became nothing more than an excuse for her to sleep in my bed with me and a time when she could feel weak and not feel guilty about it.

I didn't mind, of course. Having loved her since early childhood, having her this close was both a blessing and a curse. I wanted to hold her and kiss her, wrap her up in my love, but she didn't love me like that. To her, I was a rock, something she could hold onto during a storm. To her, I was her best friend and nothing more.

Or so I believed, as I had for years.

It was the third day of the cursed week. Ruka had crawled into my bed somewhere around 6AM, but she wasn't asleep and neither was I. She kept cuddling closer to me until she was pressed against me, her shoulder into my chest.

"Akatsuki?" She whispered. "Akatsuki, can I tell you a secret?"

"Yes." I've never denied her anything unless it would get her into trouble and I wasn't about to start then. "You can tell me anything."

"Well..." Ruka pressed her lips together and her eyebrows leaned in towards each other. "You know how I never told you about who the guy was that I got into a fight with Mitsuko over?"

"Yeah?" Before I had been half asleep, now I was at full attention.

"Um..." Ruka turned away from me and fiddled with the bow on her nightgown. "About that..."

I waited, just a little impatient. I had never asked Ruka about this because she had been so fragile about it. I did want to know, though, more than anything else.

"That... that guy was you." Ruka rolled over so we were face to face. "I said that she couldn't have you because you were mine."

I raised an eyebrow, I can't help it. Though my heart was thudding in my chest, I couldn't believe this. "Oh yeah? Am I still yours?"

"Akatsuki, you know you've always been mine." Ruka giggled and smiled just a bit. "And I know I've always been yours."

I smiled and kissed her forehead, then held her close like I had wanted to for years.

As Ruka fell asleep, peacefully for once, I realized that everything had all panned out, and I couldn't have been happier in any circumstances.

* * *

Author Note: I kept skipping around in tenses and I drove myself nuts trying to fix everything, but it's late and I don't think I got all the tense changes. It should be past, so if you see anything else, please tell me. Anyway, drop me a comment if you want, and thank you for reading.


	17. Say It Back

A/N: I said I wasn't going to add to everything all at once anymore, but with my Vampire Diaries story on indefinite hiatus, I can do a lot more without freaking out. One-shots are so much easier for me than a big story. This is Ruka's point of view.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight. I make no profit from this.

* * *

Sometimes, it's like everything I've been afraid of for years just takes over. I'm always scared I won't live up to my Mother's standards, but sometimes it crawls into my lungs and I can't breathe.

Vampires aren't supposed to have panic attacks.

"Ruka, look at me, you're going to be fine, I promise." Akatsuki coaxes me into half sitting, half lying on the living room chair. "Ruka, take a deep breath..." He knows that the only reason he's keeping my attention is that he's saying my name. We've been through this dance many times before.

I follow his instructions and the panic constricting my chest releases and I start to cry. Thank God no one else is home, I would hate for any of them to see me like this.

"Come on," Akatsuki lifts me out of the chair and holds me on my feet. "It'll be morning soon. Why don't you go upstairs and crawl into bed?"

"Don't make me..." I throw myself at him, as per usual of every bad night and day.

"The others are going to be home soon..." He warns, and instead of pushing me away, he scoops me up and starts up the stairs.

"I hate this..." I mumble into his half buttoned shirt and he pauses mid-step. "I hate this so much!"

"You hate what?" Akatsuki stares at me, his amber eyes wide.

"Me!" I scream, and strangely, he relaxes. "Me, I hate me, I hate myself, I hate this girl that I've become, and I hate the girl I pretend to be!"

"Ruka, lets get you tucked into bed." Akatsuki starts up the stairs again, not saying anything and I think, _I broke him, he doesn't know what to say. I broke the one person who's ever cared about me._

"Akat-" I break off mid-word and start to bawl my eyes out again. "Do you hate me Akatsuki?" I manage between huge, wet sobs. "I'm a bitch, I know you hate me, I'm sorry. Just leave me alone!"

Akatsuki, as usual, is unfazed by my screams. He sits on my bed, cradling me against his chest and stroking my hair.

"Why don't you hate me?" I whisper once I've calmed down. "I don't understand! why don't you hate me? I'm a bitch and I'm cruel... I don't understand your logic."

"There's no logic involved." He smiles at me, and even his eyes smile. "You just can't love and hate someone at the same time."

I let that filter through my mind for a moment, and then I cuddle up to him without another word, and just hold onto his shirt.

Sometimes, even if I don't understand why, Akatsuki says he loves me. Sometimes, for reasons strange to me, I want to say it back. But to date I haven't, and I'm not sure why...

* * *

Author Note: This is lighter stuff than I usually do, there was no mutual I love yous or kissing, it was just kind of... speculative. Hm. anyway, I'm going to add to my ShikiXRima and then I'm off for the night I guess. Will you drop me a comment? I love hearing from my readers, oh and thank you for reading.


	18. Don't Be Sorry

A/N: I'm doing everything all out of order because I'm so tired. I'm laughing at myself as I make stupid typos, I still have so many things to do, but I don't want to do nothing in case the power goes out tomorrow. Typical me. Kain's point of view.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight, and I make no profit from this.

* * *

It was a Tuesday when I found out that Ruka was on the fritz.

No, not the fritz like a coffee machine or a washer. Ruka has times where she just can't work socially, where she breaks down.

Like that.

"Ruka..." I stared down at the aforementioned girl in my arms. Ruka was shaking, chewing her perfectly manicured thumbnail and staring up at me like a terrified child.

It hurt to see her like this. It had gotten progressively worse since we were kids, when she would just catch me alone and cry for a little while. Now it was full on panic-type disorder and she had no control over it. It broke my heart in every way possible, especially the one sentence that recurred in every single one of her attacks.

"I can't be my Mother's child, Akatsuki, I'm just not good enough." Ruka would whisper, clinging to me like I was the only thing keeping her afloat in a horrible world. Sometimes it was the only thing she could say in the worst attacks.

That Tuesday, I held Ruka as the others went to class, Rima promising she would tell the teacher that Ruka was sick.

"Akatsuki?" Ruka murmured, though she was starting to nod off. I was tired too, we had both been up all day, but I could hold out until I tucked her in, as I had done many times before. "Akatsuki?"

"Yeah?" I changed the position I was holding her, so I was supporting her head and she wouldn't hurt her neck falling asleep.

"Fix me, I'm broken." Ruka fell asleep with those words, leaving me to wonder exactly what she meant.

* * *

The next few months, I tried my best to help Ruka. I kept her as close as I could, staying with her whenever possible. In the third month since the Tuesday attack, I found that Ruka came to me more often instead of going after Lord Kaname. She made attempts to be nicer to Aidou, and she seemed lighter around Rima. Something was changing; I just wasn't sure what it was.

"Akatsuki!" Ruka dive-tackled me as she came into my room. Aidou took his cue and slunk out, he wasn't one to listen in anymore. "Akatsuki, thank you." She murmured into my shirt.

"For what?" I held her close, reveling in the feel of her so close to me. "What did I do?"

"You fixed me." Her words struck a chord in my mind, but it didn't register at first. "All I needed was someone to love me, to be sure of it, and to support me emotionally. Thank you, how can I ever repay you?"

"You don't need to-" I started, but she cut me off... with a kiss.

My first instinct was to push her away; that she had to be under some sort of influence to want me. My second instinct was to kiss her like she'd never been kissed.

She pulled away; face a bright pink and looking up at me with guilty eyes. "Sorry, I just thought... I didn't mean to... so-"

This time I grabbed her and kissed her. I was going to make sure that she wasn't sorry for that.

* * *

A/N: Ohh I'm exhausted. I desperately want to add to everything though, because I don't know when I'll be able to add to my one shots again since I started my Gundam Wing stories (ok, story non-plural, I still have to start the second one tonight). Anyway, I love hearing from my readers, so will you please drop me a comment? I would love that. Thank you for using your time to read my story, it means a lot to me!


	19. Hammer To The Mirror

A/N: I'm sorry if I'm loopy, I was stressed out all night and now my fiction project is really dark and I'm going to stop making excuses and give you the story. Akatsuki's point of view.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight and I make no profit from this.

* * *

I bet everyone thinks that Hanabusa's harsh comments don't get to Ruka. But that's not true, not every time anyway. Sometimes they break her in ways that I still haven't figured out how to fix.

When we were 11, I heard Ruka crying in her room. I knew that her and Hanabusa had gotten into a fight earlier, though I didn't know the details and I hadn't been there to stop it. Big mistake on my part, really, because it created the beginning of the spider web of cracks in Ruka's psyche, the ones I still don't know what to do about.

I walked into her room unannounced as I always did back then, and found Ruka sitting in front of her vanity mirror, sobbing.

"Ruka, what's wrong?" I asked, as I stood beside her. I brushed her hair out of her face, mostly because I figured that she was hurt, that Hanabusa had scratched or bruised her.

"Hanabusa s-said..." She swallowed hard and hugged me tightly. "He said that I'm ugly. I am ugly aren't I?"

"Don't let him get to you, you're beautiful." I dried her tears with a Kleenex and ran my fingers through her hair. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Hanabusa just does that because he knows he can get to you."

Despite my calm demeanor, I was shocked. I had never seen Ruka cry because of something Hanabusa said; usually she just attacked him for his foul comments.

Ruka didn't say anything, but she didn't want me to leave after that, and I ended up sleeping in her room with her for the first time.

* * *

When we first came to Cross Academy, someone else's comments got to her the same way. Rima Touya made a quick snappy comment to Ruka about being self-centered, and though Ruka acted pissed off, the way she stomped to her room and slammed the door, when I found her she was bawling her eyes out.

"I hate myself." She sobbed into my shirt as I held her close. "I hate myself so much. I'm more flawed than anyone here, and everyone here hates me except you, Akatsuki. I hate it here!"

"Do you want to leave?" I offered, sure I could find a way to get her home if it was absolutely necessary. "I would go with you if you wanted."

"No." Ruka straightened in my arms, suddenly her regal self despite the tears. "I'm going to stay here and teach them all a lesson."

Of course, Ruka and Rima later made up and became friends, but the cracks in chips at the corners of Ruka's mind, the damage caused, didn't disappear.

She's still as flawed as ever, and though I still love her more than my own life, I can't help but wonder if what's cracked in such a way, like a mirror with a hammer taken to it, can ever really be repaired.

I just know that I'll never stop trying.

* * *

A/N: Another more speculative one. I'm big on those lately. I just have one more one shot to do and then I'm headed to bed for a while. Anyway, thank you for reading and drop me a review if you can, I love hearing from my readers.


	20. Promise Like That

A/N: I've decided to have a vote, yay or nay on me canceling my one-shot collections. I feel I cannot update them enough anymore, and I want to see what you guys think. Remember, if I keep them going, then I might not update for months at a time.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight and I make zero profit from this.

* * *

"Ruka?" Akatsuki shook his head as he tried to get her attention. "Ruka."

Ruka was staring into the bathroom mirror, her face worried, her eyes zoned out. She was frozen, but when Akatsuki said her name a fourth time, she whirled on him. "Am I ugly, Akatsuki?"

"You're beautiful, Ruka." Akatsuki hugged her tightly. "Whoever told you that you were ugly is stupid and blind. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

"Then why doesn't Lord Kaname want me?" Ruka hid her face in Akatsuki's shirt, not quite crying, but close. "It's got to be something. Am I ugly? Am I rude? Am I too tomboyish? Am I too mean? What is it? There's something wrong with me, there's got to be, he hates me. He only used me to scare Yuuki. Why am I so offensive to him?"

"You're not offensive to him." The orange haired boy raked his hand through his hair. "It's just that... he's in love with Yuuki. You need to accept that. Besides, there are other people that love you more than he ever could."

"Like who? Everyone here hates me except Rima." Ruka wrapped her arms around Akatsuki's neck for support. "Aidou hates me, Senri doesn't like me, and Takuma doesn't even like me. And you know how whore-y Takuma is when it comes to people."

"Nobody hates you." Akatsuki wrapped an arm around her waist. "Sometimes they dislike you for being so Lord Kaname obsessed, but no one hates you. I..." He leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers. "Love you, for one."

"No." Ruka tore out of his grip, running for her room. "I don't believe you! You're just trying to make me feel better. Shut up, Akatsuki, I don't want to hear your lies!"

Akatsuki stood there, staring into the bathroom mirror. Heart broken, he had no clue what to do.

* * *

Three days passed. No one knew what to say to Akatsuki, and no one could talk to Ruka. Ruka barely left her room, and when she did she looked like something that the cat had dragged in.

It was that third night that the routine was turned on it's head. Ruka showered, and then turned up in Akatsuki's room, fully dressed and looking like someone had kicked her puppy.

"Sorry." She whispered, unable to say anything else at first. "Sorry, Akatsuki. I'm sorry."

Akatsuki didn't move towards her, but he didn't back up either. He didn't know what to say to the girl that had broken his heart, the same girl that he had been so close to since infanthood.

"I just... I didn't mean to hurt you... I just... _why?_" Ruka stumbled over her words like she never had.

Akatsuki smiled slightly, though it was sad. "Because you're beautiful without trying, because you're sweet though you hide it, because you care about everyone in your odd little ways, because you're not perfect but I see you perfectly, and because what's not to love?"

"I don't want to give up on Lord Kaname... because... what if he changes his mind and wants me?" Ruka bit her lip, causing blood to trickle down her chin. "I don't want to be the one who messed up by giving up too soon."

"Ruka." Akatsuki whispered, his voice pained and not just from the blood dripping off her face. "I promise to make you so happy that if Lord Kaname ever wanted you, you wouldn't go to him."

Ruka eyed him for honesty, and then stepped forward into his arms. Because really, who could reject a promise like that?

* * *

A/:N So anyway, yes or no should I cancel my one shot collections?


	21. Replace The Silence

A/N: This was supposed to be added last night, but my net crashed and I couldn't deal. I'm sorry it's late, but here it is from Akatsuki's point of view.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make a profit from this.

* * *

Rima told me something was wrong with Ruka, but I wasn't expecting this.

Ruka was lying in her bed, taking swigs out of a bottle of wine. She had a faint blush on her face from the alcohol; the bottle was more than half gone.

"Ruka," I scolded. "We're not doing this tonight." I took the bottle away from her and took it to the bathroom, pouring it down the drain.

When I came back, Ruka hadn't moved at all. Her eyes were tracking me, she wasn't too drunk for how much she had consumed, but she wasn't moving. I lay beside her in her bed and held her hand gently.

"I'm never pretty enough for anyone." She slurred. "Lord Kaname looks at me like I'm a half-melted Barbie doll. I feel like a half-melted Barbie doll."

"You're beautiful, Ruka." I hugged her against me tightly, my heart hurting for her. "Don't let anyone tell you different."

"Then why can't I be with the one I've loved all these years?" Ruka wasn't anywhere near tears, she was just drunkenly frustrated. "Doesn't he have any sense of my devotion? All these years, I gave him the best years of my life and he treats me like shit."

I listened to her go on and on, patiently and when she paused, I whispered, "Ruka, sometimes what you can't see is that love is right in front of you."

"Sometimes I see that love hates me." Ruka's chin began to fall against her chest, her head lolling. "Cupid's an asshole."

I pulled her closer to me, letting her head rest on my chest. It was almost funny how she spoke of devotion and being treated like shit, when all these years she did the same exact thing to me.

Still, I would always love her. I could never love anyone else.

"I love you." I whispered to the empty air as Ruka slept soundlessly. "I always will."

Silence became my answer, as it had been for so many years. I was just waiting for someone to steal the silence away and replace it with an I love you.

* * *

A/N: It's short and weird and I'm sorry, but I'm doing my best. Anyway, leave me a review will you? I love hearing from my readers. Thank you for reading!


	22. Even Goddesses

A/N: It's getting late, but I wanted to get this week's add out of the way. This is AU.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make a profit from this.

* * *

Akatsuki had watched her from afar, the gorgeous almond haired girl, the goddess of Cross High. He loved her beyond what words could say, and just the sight of her sent his heart rattling his ribcage.

But she was always taken by Kaname Kuran. He didn't seem to care for her; he only wanted her as a pawn. He was clearly using Akatsuki's goddess to get to the brown haired girl, Yuki Cross.

So when Akatsuki found his goddess, Ruka Souen, crying outside the school, he wasn't all that surprised.

"What happened?" Akatsuki sat beside her, not touching, never touching. Goddesses aren't to be touched; they're simply to be watched.

Ruka broke that rule when she tackled Akatsuki backwards and onto the ground, sobbing.

"I know you care, you've always watched me with those eyes..." She hid her face in his jacket, muffling her next words. "If you love me, tell me the truth, he never loved me, did he?"

"No." Akatsuki whispered, holding her. "No, he only wanted Yuki."

"Yeah." Ruka got a look to her like she was going to seal it all up inside, and then she burst into tears all over again, clutching at Akatsuki. "Damn it, I hate feeling like this! Why can't someone love me? My own family doesn't give a shit what happens to me!"

Akatsuki was quickly realizing there was much more to his goddess than he had ever seen. She was hurting in so many ways, pained in so many places of her heart and mind. He held her tightly and slowly whispered, "I care."

"You?" Ruka looked at him for a long moment. "You care? About me?"

"Yes." Akatsuki whispered, and then, though it pained him, he added, "But I don't want to just be a rebound."

"Heh," Ruka wiped her tears. "No, I'm not dating again for a while. But..." She bit her lip. "You'll be my friend?"

"Yeah." Akatsuki kissed her temple lightly, just trying to calm her. "Are you going to be alright now?"

"Yes..." Ruka smoothed her dress, looking embarrassed. "Yes. I'll be fine. God, I must look like a mess. A lady should never do this."

"Everyone gets upset sometimes." Akatsuki smiled at her. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

Akatsuki learned that day that even goddesses cry.

* * *

A/N: This is similar to a few I've done, but I felt it was different enough with the AU and Ruka actually having been with Kaname. Anyway, what'd you think?


	23. Knowing

A/N: I'm trying to get all my one-shot adds up super early so I don't have to deal with them later today. So here we go, in Ruka's point of view.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

I don't think he knew.

I did my best to hide it, after all my family wanted me to go after Lord Kaname. I was supposed to go after the pureblood, they drilled that into me for years, and I did my best to obey. Yes, Lord Kaname was beautiful, but there wasn't enough substance for me there. He had clearly fallen for someone else, though for years I didn't know who. I wanted to make my family happy, as I hadn't been able to ever before.

I couldn't tell him; after all, I was supposed to be completely head over heels for Lord Kaname. I had been rejected at every advance I made, and while I was getting nowhere, I loved someone else.

But time was making me cruel. I had to pretend to love someone who didn't even love me. Lord Kaname was never cruel to me, per say, but he did use me for his own nefarious devices, biting me to scare Yuki. I was slipping away from who I wanted to be, I was losing it, and I was turning into my Mother. My wretched, time-soured Mother, who wanted her daughter to be miserable with someone who didn't love her because he was a pureblood.

I slipped and fell of course, and there were times when I was sure he knew. I cried in his arms over and over, and he took care of me. But I couldn't tell him.

We used to say it constantly as kids. "I love you" wasn't an uncommon phrase between us as children, we threw those words around as children will do, and we found ourselves eye-deep in controversy before we knew it. Mother reprimanded me for saying it, and the phrase was frozen out by the time we were thirteen. Somewhere in my chest, a piece of my heart was frozen as well. I missed his I love yous; I missed feeling wanted, needed, simply loved.

I slipped up again on a Friday night.

We were curled together on top of his bed, holding hands and talking, a Friday tradition that we had managed to keep over years of trauma.

It slipped.

At first he looked at me in shock, he hadn't heard me say that in years unless it was directed at Lord Kaname. Then when he saw the pain he was creating with his silence and inaction, he leaned down and kissed me.

No one will understand what that kiss meant to me, ever. It meant I didn't have to lie anymore, that I was home safe.

It meant that I didn't have to be a fake anymore, and I didn't have to hide.

It meant that I had someone who loved me just as much as I loved them.

* * *

A/N: I wanted it to be longer, but it didn't work. I tried. I'll update again next week. Anyway, what did you think?


	24. For The Better

A/N: If you didn't read my apology on Of Sunburns and Pocky, here it is again. I'm sorry, I missed my deadline, I don't do well in heat and I had to have my medication levels tested. I know I'm several days off; I'll try harder next week.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

"Will it scar?" 13-year-old Ruka's voice trembled as her best friend Akatsuki picked gravel out of the cut on her knee. "I really don't want a scar."

"It shouldn't." Akatsuki set the tweezers down for a moment and ran his hand across her knee. "You shouldn't wear high heels in the yard like that."

Ruka bit her lip and didn't reply. She flinched as the cut started to heal, the sting making her shake slightly. "Akatsuki?" She whispered as she stood up, nearly knocked over the bowl of gravel that Akatsuki had picked out of her knee, and went down on her one good knee to hug him tightly.

"Are you alright?" Akatsuki wrapped an arm around her and held her. Even at that young age, he knew. He loved Ruka Souen; there was no doubt about it in his mind. He would do anything for her, anything from picking gravel from her cuts, to painting her nails for her, to running to the store to buy her tampons. He was devoted, or as Hanabusa said, "whipped".

"Kaname didn't say anything." Ruka whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck instead of him now. "He didn't say a word."

Akatsuki blinked, trying to think of what she could be referencing.

"He was in the yard when I was out there." Ruka murmured and her voice was clogged with tears. "He was there when I fell and he didn't say anything at all. He didn't ask if I was alright, nothing. He just watched."

Akatsuki found himself in the best situation his mind could imagine; Ruka needed to be comforted and here he was, there. But he couldn't pull anything too drastic, that would only hurt her more and she wouldn't believe him.

"He doesn't love you, Ruka, I'm sorry." Akatsuki whispered, holding her closer.

"I heard... a rumor a few days ago." Ruka sighed, and her breath was on his neck.

Akatsuki chose to listen very carefully instead of focusing how her warm breath felt on his skin.

"It was about you." Ruka continued, and her voice chimed with something that Akatsuki couldn't quite identify. "Hanabusa said that you loved me."

_Note to self; kill Hanabusa, _Akatsuki thought as he slowly released Ruka.

"Is it true?" Ruka looked up at him, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I-" Akatsuki began, but was cut off almost immediately.

"Wait! Because... for months now, I've felt like..." Ruka paused and took a few deep breaths, biting her lip for just a second. "Like Kaname doesn't care. And you do... you're so sweet. You take care of me, and I love you so much... things are changing, Akatsuki, and I think they're for the better. So now, tell me, is it true?"

The orange-eyed boy blinked for two seconds, and then grabbed Ruka and kissed her.

Yes, things were changing, and yes, they were definitely for the better.

* * *

A/N: In this one, I had the idea to start with Ruka being injured because of a pair of heels, while she was trying to impress Kaname. I did what I could. What did you think?


	25. I Would Wait

A/N: Sorry this is a few days late, the weather has been wonky, and I haven't been able to get this last one-shot add in. Akatsuki's point of view again.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

She had just turned 19 and here she was again, standing on the front step of my house, hugging herself in that wisp of an evening dress and stumbling. I could smell alcohol on her breath, and the fact that she drank enough that it was affecting her made me tense.

"Ruka..." I whispered and caught her automatically as her heel broke and she fell forward, against me. "What happened to you?"

"What didn't?" Ruka rubbed her neck and I could see small, pale, circular marks where someone had bitten her. "Can I stay?"

I was somehow surprised because although she was stumbling, she managed not to slur her words. Then again, she had been in this position many times, used for a drink by Lord Kaname, having drank until she could barely stand.

"Of course." I whispered, and I picked her up, heading for my room. "Have I ever turned you away?"

Ruka didn't say anything, instead she just reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down for a kiss.

I tensed and refused to let her. She was inebriated; she didn't need me taking advantage of her in any way. She glared at me for a moment before she took a deep breath and looked away.

"I know what I want, Akatsuki." She whispered. "Things have changed, and I'm not who I was."

"We'll talk when you're sober." I lay her down on my bed and went to go sleep on the couch.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up with Ruka curled beside me on the couch, her arms looped around my neck, her eyes still closed.

But I couldn't accept her confession like that, no. I wanted her to be sure, more than anything.

I wanted to be sure, more than anything, that I wasn't just a rebound.

So I would wait.

* * *

A/N: It's shorter and sad, but I hope you liked it anyway. It was kind of a new view on Akatsuki's feelings for her. What did you think?


	26. Partners In Crime

A/N: I'm trying to get all my one-shot collections added to before I have to go somewhere... I've got roughly an hour to do four one-shots. Wish me luck.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

"Aren't they adorable?" Mrs. Kain cooed as she and Mrs. Souen watched their toddlers. "They're practically in love with each other."

Three-year-old Ruka was picking flowers from the Souen Garden and tucking them into Akatsuki's wild orange hair, creating a bouquet hairstyle. Akatsuki didn't exactly look excited about this arrangement, but he was letting her without any fuss.

"Maybe they'll grow up and get married." Mrs. Souen fantasized. "They'd be so good for each other. Akatsuki is so gentle natured and calm opposed to Ruka's quick temper – no offense – they'd be such a yin-yang, very good in marriage."

"Isn't it a little young to be thinking about who they'll marry?" Mrs. Kain sighed. "They _are_ only three." She paused and watched the kids for a moment before adding, "Akatsuki does seem quite enamored with her, doesn't he? I just think he's a little young to be in love, don't you?"

"Love knows no age." Mrs. Souen argued. "Besides, it seems like he's been looking at her like that for years."

"True. Let's hope she stops sticking flowers all over him by the time they're older though." Akatsuki's Mother laughed. "They are precious, though. Your daughter seems to be the only person Akatsuki is really attached to though, and that worries me."

"He'll be alright." Ruka's mother smiled. "He's friends with Hanabusa as well, so I wouldn't worry. He's just a kid."

The blonde prodigy himself ran onto the scene, pushing Ruka down. Ruka's eyes teared up, and she made a grab for Hanabusa's throat, but Akatsuki was quicker than her. He grabbed Hanabusa by the shirt collar and lifted him up, staring him down with an icy glare.

"Honey!" Both Mothers darted in to remove their children from the fight.

"Is this a usual day?" Mrs. Aidou, who usually made herself scarce, stood nearby, and she scooped up her son. "Hanabusa, we don't push anyone down. That's bad."

Hanabusa rolled his eyes.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Souen held Ruka and Mrs. Kain held Akatsuki. The two children reached for each other, and with a lot of stretching, connected their little hands.

They would be like that for the rest of their lives, partners in crime.

* * *

A/N: A short one, but it's kind of cute. I have so much to do and have to leave soon, so I won't be answering reviews right now. Hopefully after the storm.


	27. Date Feigning

A/N: This is an extra for the week, and I probably won't do extras often. But I had a general idea that could span all my one-shot collections, and I wanted to make all my readers happy. So hopefully this will do that.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

Akatsuki Kain couldn't believe the state he was in. He was _jealous. _

All those years that Ruka had been obsessed with Lord Kaname, had worshipped him, Akatsuki had played it cool. He had never been jealous. He understood it was a crush, he had understood that one day she would realize the truth. Understanding had been his saving grace. But this, this was like ripping out his heart and frying it up while he died.

She had gone somewhere with Hanabusa. They were on a date, somewhere, and they were together. Ruka had always hated him, so why would she dare let him kiss her? Why would she let Hanabusa... no, Akatsuki couldn't go there. He just couldn't. But all those years, had he misunderstood their hate for sexual tension? And wasn't Hanabusa in love with Lord Kaname?

Akatsuki really didn't get it, and by the way his head was pounding, he never would. He lay flat out on his bed, at noon, staring at the ceiling.

_Why?_

He heard the door open downstairs and heard Ruka's laugh. So the date had gone well.

"Hanabusa! Not like that!" Ruka was really laughing, good hard laughs. "Sayori will think you're going to... here. Like this..."

Akatsuki's curiosity got the best of him. He tiptoed to the top of the stairs and peered down.

Horror of horrors, Ruka was kissing Hanabusa. Betrayal struck a chord in Akatsuki's heart, and he tried not to choke as it came up in his throat like bile.

Ruka pulled away, laughing insanely. "You'll do fine on your date, Hanabusa." She leaned on the railing, wiping her mouth slightly. "Just don't bite her, alright?"

Hanabusa was bright red, but he took the shopping bag and disappeared up the stairs, past Akatsuki. Akatsuki couldn't quite process what was going on, and he just kept staring at Ruka. What was she talking about, and why had she kissed Hanabusa?

"Hey, Akatsuki?" Ruka tipped her head a bit to look up at Akatsuki. "Do me a favor, will you?"

Akatsuki blinked, but apparently that was an answer for Ruka.

"Go make sure he has all his tags off." Ruka smiled. "Somehow, I doubt Sayori will be impressed by brand names all over him."

"Weren't you two on a date?" Akatsuki asked, feeling stupid. "Why is he going on a date?"

"Ew. I did not go on a date with Hanabusa." Ruka scrunched up her nose, not dissimilar to a bunny. "He wanted a woman's advice before he went on his date with Sayori, and I wanted a man's advice on... some things. Please, go make sure he doesn't have a tag on him, please. I'll talk to you later, I have got to get some beauty sleep."

Akatsuki followed orders; following his cousin into their room and helping him get all the tags off his new jeans and shirts. Hanabusa said nothing the whole time, and wouldn't look at him.

Eventually, Hanabusa got dressed and left and though he looked tired he also looked excited. Akatsuki watched him go, and then stepped back inside their room.

Ruka was there, splayed across his bed. The second she saw him she sat up quickly. "Hey. I wanted to talk to you before I fell asleep, actually."

Akatsuki's lips perked into a half smile. "About what?"

"Well, I was talking to Hanabusa about this secret I have..." Ruka moved over to one side of the bed and patted the other side, beckoning him to come sit down. "And he said, since it's you, I should just come out and say it."

"Hm?" Akatsuki was intrigued now. He sat beside her and almost smiled at her. If she had just been helping Hanabusa prepare for a date, he still had a chance. Even the kissing could be explained away, since Hanabusa had never been kissed in his life, and probably thought he needed lessons.

"Well..." Ruka sighed. "All these years... 'liking' Kaname... I've been trying to make you jealous." She sighed. "It didn't work, so I figured... and Hanabusa figured... that I should just come out with it and say-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence; Akatsuki captured her lips with his own.

From then on, Ruka didn't fake anything to feel wanted. She felt wanted her whole life, from then on.

* * *

A/N: This one was pretty up in the air for a long time. I didn't know what Hanabusa would be doing with Ruka, but then I saw a note about Sayori and Hanabusa in PetiteShima's story, Bring Me To Life, and I thought, that would be perfect! So thank you, PetiteShima, you inspire me constantly. And what did everyone think?


	28. Everlasting

A/N: Quick recap if you guys don't read my other one-shot collections. You can now send in a theme for a one-shot and I'll write it, as long as it's not filthy, sexual, or over-the-top lengthy. I don't want to have to close these one-shot collections down when I have another dry spell. I also have a poll for my next VK story, who will my next story be based on, and Rukain is in the running. I'm not writing it until I have at least three votes. And yes, I love writing about Ruka and Akatsuki as kids.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight. I make no profit from this.

* * *

Some things are everlasting.

"Don't tell." Ten-year-old Ruka whispered when she fell off her roller blades and broke her leg. Akatsuki had responded with a silent nod and checked to make sure the bone was in place as it healed. Ruka wasn't supposed to be roller-blading anyway; her Mother had told her that ladies don't do that. It was their secret.

"Don't tell." Was the repeated command a year later, when Ruka came home sobbing from a breakup with a boy her Mother had said she couldn't date. Akatsuki had held her until she settled down, and it was their secret.

"Don't tell." Was used the last time, when they had first come to Cross Academy and Kaname had bitten her. She had whispered it to Akatsuki right before she passed out, as he carried her to her bed.

Then, as Ruka sat on Akatsuki's bed as he came in from class at Cross academy, she asked, "Why didn't you tell?"

Akatsuki found himself standing there, slack-jawed and staring at her. The only reasoning he could come up with was that she had a fever, she had stayed home from class because she was "sick", something Akatsuki had doubted. Now he wasn't so sure because she had never questioned his secret keeping before.

"Come on Akatsuki, you must have a reason." Ruka blinked up at him, wide, almond eyes filled with confusion. "Why would you keep all those secrets for me?"

Akatsuki was still trying to figure out how to make his tongue work in the correct sequence to say something. "Because I love you." Was what came out of his mouth, despite that he had been trying to lie.

"Hm. Love." Ruka mused, and now Akatsuki could see the faint pink tinge to her cheeks, she did have a fever. "Love is a fickle thing... My mother loved me, now she hates me. I love Rima but she can be so hotheaded. I loved Lord Kaname but that's over now..."

Akatsuki blinked. "You don't love Lord Kaname anymore?" That was news to him.

"Saw him kissing Yuki Cross out the window." Ruka shrugged, but she was crawling under the covers on his bed. "Can I sleep with you?"

Akatsuki felt a blush come over his face, but he knew she was just feverish and being careless with her words. He nodded and crawled in next to her.

Ruka crawled up close to him, and Akatsuki wasn't sure what she was trying to say. If her love for Lord Kaname was over, was he next?

And if love was fickle, who was after him?

The day was quiet, and Ruka slept like a baby, but Akatsuki didn't. What sleep he managed was shattered by nightmares of Takuma, Senri, and even Zero taking Ruka away from him. He couldn't take it; he was so close!

When nightfall came, he kissed her gently, and she woke with a start.

As he pulled away, he whispered, "I can teach you that love is everlasting."

Ruka looked at him for what seemed like forever, and then she pulled him back down for another kiss.

Their love would certainly be everlasting.

* * *

A/N: I love this one so much more than my Of Sunburns and Pocky add... anyway, drop a theme if you want, thank you for reading, the poll is up, what did you think?


	29. Firsts

A/N: First off, I'm sorry my add is late. I haven't felt well lately. Second, this will be pretty similar to my next add at Of Sunburns and Pocky, but as you know, both couples are desperately different from each other so they won't be carbon copies. Just trust me, please.

Theme: Firsts Theme supplier: artist at work

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this. But you guys know the drill.

* * *

Their firsts: things that began so early in life, and lead up to true love. Tiny little clues can lead up to that white wedding.

Tiny little clues like this.

Their first time holding hands. Ruka and Akatsuki were only two years old, but it wasn't unusual for their parents to find them together. But that first time that Ruka curled her little, pale hand around Akatsuki's larger, tan one, Akatsuki felt his heart skip in his chest. They were only two, and Akatsuki didn't get it then. He just knew that he really liked holding Ruka Souen's hand.

Their first time sleeping next to each other. Ruka had just turned five, and the adults were ignoring her, favoring the smart jackass, Hanabusa. It was getting light out, and Ruka didn't want to deal. She wrapped her hand around Akatsuki's, as she had been doing for years now, and tugged him off to her bedroom, tucking them both in and cuddling up to him. She was out like a light, before she even noticed Akatsuki's cheeks growing slightly pink.

The first time they kissed on the lips. It was on a dare, and that killed Akatsuki inside. Sure, they had kissed before, but it had always been the forehead or the cheek, innocent kisses. This time, it was for real. Thirteen-year-old Ruka's friend had dared her to kiss Akatsuki, and she did. But the next day, Ruka ran home crying because that friend had called her a slut, so the dare was in vain.

The first time she said, "I love you" to him. Akatsuki had been saying it to her for years, and he meant it, he wasn't just trying to get her in bed like those other guys. He just wanted her to know how much he loved her, plain and simple. It was one of those days, where Lord Kaname rejected Ruka, and she came running to Akatsuki's bed at 9 in the morning, needing a shoulder to cry on. Not that he minded; he was there for her, no matter what the clock said.

She had crawled under the covers with him, whimpering and sobbing, much to Hanabusa's disdain. The blonde grabbed his pillow and blanket and plodded out of the room, muttering curse words in extreme quantities.

Akatsuki gave her the usual, "It'll be alright, you'll find someone who loves you so much you won't be able to stand them sometimes." And then the always tacked on, "You can sleep in here if you want to."

Ruka cuddled up close to him, as she always did, and then she gave him a sad look. "I need to tell you something..." She whispered. Her eyes darted towards the door and then back to him, as if this was a huge secret she was about to spill.

Akatsuki was all ears. He couldn't imagine that she had gotten in any real trouble; Ruka got into little spats and such, but never anything earth shattering.

"I love you." Ruka murmured, holding his hand between both of hers.

Akatsuki was suddenly very glad he was lying down, if he had been standing he would've fell. She loved him? Then why had she been after Lord Kaname all these years?

He didn't get an answer, suddenly Ruka was pinning him to the bed and kissing him.

He decided to count that as his first kiss. It only seemed appropriate, since it was the beginning of their relationship.

It was their first _real _kiss anyway...

* * *

A/N: I'm off to do a one-shot for Of Sunburns and Pocky now, and then I think I'm out for the night. Drop me a theme if there's something you want to see, just remember, nothing sexual, otherwise filthy, or insanely lengthy. Anyway, I love feedback so what did you think?


	30. Valentine's Day

Theme: Valentine's Day Theme supplier: Pretty In Orange

A/N: So I know it's really early (or late, depending on how you're looking at this) for Valentine's Day themed oneshots, and personally I hate that cursed day, but I didn't really have a better idea. And yes, this is a coverall theme. Trust me, they'll be different.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight, I make no profit from this, please don't sue me. I don't have anything anyway.

* * *

Valentine's Day had been the same for Ruka and Akatsuki for years. Ever since they were 12, the ritual was the same. Ruka would be crying in her room over a new rejection from Lord Kaname, and Akatsuki would find her. In his hand would be a box of chocolates, and a bouquet of roses, the thorns personally removed by the orange haired boy. He would give her the hug she so desperately needed, but not the kisses she so greatly desired.

This Valentine's Day was different. Akatsuki Kain had been missing for a week, and Ruka was crying over that instead. He had disappeared without a trace, and Ruka wouldn't be at ease until he returned.

Late that night, the moon high in the sky, Ruka lay in her bed, cried out. No, this Valentine's Day would not be like the others. This was a day of mourning.

But then, the window rattled and opened, and the candles that sat around Ruka's room lit themselves. Ruka's heart pounded faster in her chest, until she was sure it would break free of its jail.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Ruka." Akatsuki's voice whispered, as he crawled in her window. In his hand he had a box, just a bit bigger than the usual flower box, and a box of chocolates. He handed her the box, and it felt weighty. Ruka slid it open, and drew in her breath as she saw them. Twelve roses encased in resin, with the words, _Designed to last forever, just like my love for you _printed across it.

Ruka looked up at him, her eyes wide and her tongue at a loss for words. All she had wanted for Valentine's Day was him back, but instead she had a gift that would last forever.

_Just like his love._

It all happened in a matter of seconds, she pulled him down from the windowsill, and this time she took the kiss she had wanted for years. Akatsuki didn't resist, he could never deny her, and their passion was thick in the air.

No, this time wasn't like any other Valentine's Day.

* * *

A/N: Short, I know. I might not finish all of my oneshots before I have to go to sleep; I have to get up early enough to finish editing my fiction and shower, then shop and get to writer's group. But what did you think?


	31. His

A/N: I'm going to try and go back to updating this and my other one couple one-shot collections weekly, as I've been promising anyone who asks. Like I said, I'll try, but I can't make any guarantees with my schedule lately. Anyway, this is Ruka's point of view. Forgive me if I'm a little rusty.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or make any profit from this.

* * *

My attraction to Lord Kaname was expected. My attraction to Akatsuki was a flaw.

Everyone expects a Souen lady to go after the strongest and most well bred of vampires. In my family's eyes, that was Lord Kaname. It was expected that I would fall for him, and by chance I did.

Akatsuki was another story. He was not expected, he was an accident.

In much the same way, Lord Kaname's rejection of me became expected. It was never spoken of, it was just known. To ask if Lord Kaname had rejected me again was as if to ask if I was breathing today.

But I became accustomed to Lord Kaname's rejection. Lord Kaname's rejection was like allergy shots, they hurt for a second, but I felt like just maybe they helped me in the end. And I was used to that little pinprick I felt somewhere in the vicinity of my chest every time it happened.

I had adjusted to being rejected.

Then came the night that I was alone, under the cherry blossom tree in the dark. The moonlight lay on the petals, slightly damp from the evening's rain, like a sheen of glitter.

Soft footsteps came up behind me, coupled with a familiar presence.

"Akatsuki." I murmured, not turning to look at him.

He gave no response, just kept walking closer. I didn't turn to look at him, there was no need, and I just stared straight ahead.

I did, however, jump in a very unladylike way and let out a squeak when I felt him kiss the back of my neck.

"Akatsuki..." I repeated, shocked and ever so slightly panicked.

"It's natural to fear rejection from those you love the most." He whispered in my ear. "It's natural to be afraid of losing those you're closest to. But it's not natural to give up." He spun me around, but he didn't kiss me. Instead, he just locked eyes with me and stared me down.

In the end, I grabbed him and kissed him. It was a long, heated kiss, and it was everything I had wanted for so long.

It took a few weeks, but in the end I realized that Akatsuki and I were each other's, that I wasn't Lord Kaname's anymore.

Akatsuki was mine. And I was his.

* * *

A/N: Eh. I don't love this one or anything, but what do you think? And like I said, I'm going to try and go back to updating weekly, but I can't promise anything yet. Encouragement is welcomed with open arms, but so is constructive criticism.


	32. The Light In The Dark

A/N: This was written a long while ago, and I told myself I would post it as soon as my RimaXSenri and SuigetsuXKarin oneshots were ready. Well, I haven't worked on those in forever, but I'm honestly going to try to start adding weekly again on all my oneshot collections. I need to get my butt in gear. Any words of encouragement, anyone?

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight.

* * *

"Oh, Ruka I'm so proud of you." Mrs. Souen eyed her six-year-old daughter with sparkling eyes. "You have such good taste in men already! You really are my daughter."

Ruka Souen quivered under her Mother's gaze. No, this was a mistake. She had liked Kaname at first, but his attitude had turned her off to him pretty quickly. But her Mother was so proud... now the six year old Souen girl knew she had to lie. There was no choice. If she said she didn't like Kaname anymore, her Mother would call her fickle and start to yell again. Ruka could feel the panic building inside her, like a balloon being inflated.

"Ruka! Speak when you are spoken to!" Mrs. Souen chastised, loudly enough that the passing servant shook her head in distaste.

"Yes, Mother." Ruka murmured. She was a brave girl, but her Mother could just as easily reduce Ruka to tears as she could build her up.

"Go to your room." Mrs. Souen waved a hand dismissively and turned away. "And ladies are confident. Be a lady."

Ruka ran to her room, tripping on the hem of her dress. As she opened the door, she saw the calming face of her best friend, Akatsuki Kain.

* * *

"Ruka, what is that?" Akatsuki tried to lean over Ruka's shoulder to read the letter she had in her hands. Ruka's expression was enough to make him freeze. "Let me see." Slowly, and with great care, he eased the paper out of her hands.

Ruka's hands dropped to her sides and she leaned on his shoulder, her fingers trembling slightly. Nearly always proud and slightly arrogant, Ruka looked at a loss for words for once in her life.

Akatsuki pulled her against his side as he sped through the letter. He quickly found the source of her horror.

Both Ruka's parents had died in a freak attack by a rogue vampire.

Ruka ran her hand through her almond locks, tousling them. The girl who spent nearly an hour styling her hair was now messing it up.

Akatsuki folded the letter up and shoved it into his pocket. "Come on." He gave Ruka a little tug by her hand but she wouldn't budge. She was quivering a bit, and she looked lost. Like a child that had slipped away from her Mother at a supermarket, Ruka didn't know where to go from there.

"Come on." Akatsuki repeated, but this time he scooped her up and headed for his and Aidou's room. Upon arriving, he stared Aidou down until the boy genius darted out of the room and shut the door on his way out.

"My... My family..." Ruka whispered, not fighting Akatsuki as he set her down on his bed.

Akatsuki wasn't about to say anything. If he just held her and let her dissolve into sobs, maybe she would feel better after an hour or so.

"What... what do I do now?" Ruka murmured, her hands fisting around the material of Akatsuki's shirt. She still had the look of a child loose in the supermarket in her eyes, which were quickly tearing up. This was the side of Ruka that only Akatsuki ever saw. This was the broken, hurting side of Ruka that no one else had ever seen.

"Now..." Akatsuki tipped her face up gently as the tears started to flow from her eyes. "Now, you get to live your life for you."

Ruka blinked, slowly, as if realizing for the first time that the loss of her parents would mean she would get what she had always wanted and never been allowed to have.

Akatsuki.

A few hours passed, and Ruka finally cried herself to sleep as the light started to flow into the room, drifting through the thick curtains just a bit and patterning the wall.

Akatsuki watched her without sleeping even for a minute. All he could do was think about what this could mean. Ruka would obviously be inheriting a lot of family issues, and he knew this was hard on her despite how horribly her parents had treated her from the time she was a toddler.

When Ruka woke up, Akatsuki got the surprise of a lifetime. She kissed his cheek once, and then instead of leaving like she had every other time she had slept in his bed, she snuggled closer.

Beyond the grief, there was definitely a light at the end of this tunnel. Ruka would get to live.

* * *

A/N: By the time I finished this I was super tired, so if someone sees a typo, go ahead and review me pointing it out. Anyway, love it or hate it, or anything in-between, I love hearing my reader's opinions. And yes, I love exploring this kind of theme with Ruka and Akatsuki.


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